Apple’s Mixed-Reality Headset: Reality Pro
According to reports from The Financial Times, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams have been pushing to launch the Reality Pro mixed-reality headset this year. However, Apple’s industrial design team feels that the product is not ready for prime time, and it was suggested to have its release aligned with Apple Glasses. Nevertheless, the company has been working on the product for seven years, and the release is further gaining momentum.
Development Process and Price Range
The Reality Pro is deemed by Apple as its most complex product ever made. It is rumored to have a price tag as high as $3,000 and could boast up to 12 powerful cameras, along with a 4K micro-LED display for each eye. Manipulating the Digital Crown, users can toggle between Virtual Reality (VR), which creates immersive environments, and Augmented Reality (AR), which overlays computer-generated data on top of a real-world environment. The device is expected to be powered by a 5nm Apple M2 chipset with nearly 20 billion transistors, making it one of the most powerful systems in the market today.
Release Date and Marketing Strategy
The release date of the Reality Pro is expected to be announced during the WWDC Developer’s Conference in June 2021. The product’s features include the ability to make FaceTime calls using virtual avatars, watch 3D videos, and exercise through interactive workouts. Apple engineers have been under immense pressure to prepare the device for shipment by Apple’s operation team, despite the latter’s reservation of its readiness. Additionally, Apple is developing the less-expensive Reality One, priced at $799 to $1,599 and features fewer capabilities compared to the Reality Pro.
Apple is said to be creating an expensive marketing campaign for the high-end headset, ensuring its place in the market for years to come.
