Apple reportedly planning second-generation mixed reality headset for 2025

APPS

Apple Inc. is reportedly developing a second-generation mixed reality headset that could make its debut in 2025.

Citing respected mobile industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, MacRumors reported today that the headset will be available in two editions. Kuo believes the more expensive version will be produced by manufacturer Luxcase-ICT. The lower-end version, in turn, is set to be produced by Foxconn, which assembles most of Apple’s iPhones.

Apple is expected to introduce its first mixed reality headset this June. The device, which has been rumored for years, will reportedly offer both augmented reality and virtual reality features.

It’s believed Apple’s first-generation headset will include more than a dozen cameras and two 4K displays, or displays with a resolution of 2,160 pixels by 3,840 pixels. The headset will reportedly be powered by an external battery pack. On the software side, Apple is expected to provide a a tool that will enable users to create apps without writing code. 

The second-generation mixed reality device detailed by Kuo today is described as the successor to the headset Apple plans to launch this June. One of the second-generation device’s primary selling points, according to recent rumors, is that it will offer a significantly lower price tag.

Earlier this month, Nikkei Asia cited a source as saying that Apple’s first-generation headset will be “extremely expensive.” Estimates by industry insiders reportedly put the price tag at between $3,000 and $5,000. The second-generation headset Apple is expected to debut in 2025 is set to retail for less: It will reportedly cost about as much as a high-end Mac.

It’s believed Apple will achieve the price reduction by switching to lower-cost components. In particular, the company’s second-generation headset will reportedly use less advanced internal displays. The case is expected to feature a more cost-efficient design as well.

Recent reports suggest that Apple’s second-generation headset could also feature less advanced silicon. According to MacRumors, the first iteration of the headset that will debut this June includes a processor with similar performance as Apple’s Mac chips. The more affordable second-generation iteration of the device, in turn, is expected to feature an iPhone-grade processor.

The mixed reality headset is one of several new devices that Apple is expected to introduce in the coming months. 

Reports suggest the company is also preparing to launch a refreshed MacBook Air laptop, as well as new Mac Pro workstations. The workstations are believed to feature an Apple-designed chip called the M2 Ultra. The chip reportedly features a 24-core central processing unit, a graphics card with up to 76 cores and support for 192 gigabytes of memory.

Photo: Pixabay