Apple’s AR Headset Could Offer M1 Pro-like Performance, Cost Upwards of $2,000

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 17 Jan 2022

Apple AR Headset concept

Mark Gurman has shared more details about Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter. He believes that there will be two processors inside the headset, with one of them offering performance similar to the M1 Pro chip found inside the new MacBook Pros.

Previous reports suggested Apple could use an M1 chip inside the headset, but Gurman says the company is going for the more powerful Pro chip because of its better GPU performance. The AR headset could feature multiple displays, with high-resolution 8K panels and a bevy of sensors.

Just last week, Gurman claimed that Apple’s headset could be delayed by a few months due to overheating and thermal issues that could push its launch to 2023. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also revealed that the headset will use the same 96W USB-C power adapter as the existing 14-inch MacBook Pro.

Apple has also internally discussed the pricing of its headset. It was previously reported that Apple’s headset could be priced around $3,000. However, Gurman says Apple has internally discussed price points starting above $2,000. The company will need to recoup the costs of the expensive display panels, advanced audio technology, and over seven years of internal developments, and it tends to charge more for its products than the competition.

There’s no clear indication of what Apple plans to call its AR/VR headset. Gurman has suggested some names in the newsletter, like Apple Vision, Apple Reality, and Apple Sigh/iSight. He believes Apple Vision could be an ideal name for the headset as it sounds futuristic and rightfully captures how it is a new visual-based product.

Reports surrounding Apple’s AR/VR headset have picked up steam in recent months. While there’s still no clear timeline for their launch, it is now likely that we will at least see Apple unveil the product to the world later this year.

[Via PowerOn]