Leading up to Apple’s AR/VR product introduction, there has been skepticism that the device will be well received, both because of its rumored $3,000 price tag and the lackluster performance of competing products from companies like Sony and Meta.
However, at least one person who tests the device is enthusiastic about it. The leaker Evan Blass, who has provided accurate information about Apple’s plans in the past, claims to know a person who has had a chance to “demonstrate” the headphones. Blass said that over the course of the past few months, the tester has gone from “regretting its ‘disappointing’ capabilities” to being “blown away” by the experience and the hardware.
“The leap they have taken from [late last year] it’s gigantic,” the Apple tester told Blass. “He was so skeptical; now I’m blown away in a ‘take my money,'” they said. Blass shared the details on his Twitter account, which is private.
Apple has been working on the AR/VR headset for years, and its debut has been delayed several times as the company has set about solving development issues with the design and software. Apple is now ready to preview and is expected to do so at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
In March, The New York Times reported that several Apple employees he had spoken to were skeptical about the headphones’ potential for success. Employees have questioned whether the headset is a “fix in search of a problem” and is “driven by the same clarity” as other Apple devices.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in April that with everything the company has done, there have always been “a lot of skeptics.” It comes with the territory of doing “something that’s on the edge,” Cook said.
AR/VR headsets are shaping up to be similar to the Apple Watch in terms of initial functionality. It will be expensive at over $3,000 and will have limited utility to begin with. Apple plans to iterate on the headphones over time, and new models are already in development. With the Apple Watch, Apple made remarkable advances in its technical capabilities, and within a few generations, the device became indispensable to many.
Apple’s headphones will be its first new product category since the Apple Watch. Expected to be called “Reality Pro” or “Reality One,” the headset will feature two Sony 4K micro OLED displays, for a full 8K resolution. It will be equipped with more than a dozen cameras to map the area around the user, read facial expressions, interpret gestures, and more.
Design-wise, it’s said to feature a sleek curved visor made of aluminium, glass, and carbon fiber, with Apple’s goal of keeping weight down. In fact, it doesn’t even have a built-in battery, instead the battery is worn on the waist to prevent the headphones from being too heavy.
Apple is working on updating its apps for the device, with a specific focus on communication and collaboration, TV and sports, gaming, and health and fitness.
More information on what to expect from AR/VR headsets can be found. found in our roundup of AR/VR headsets.