Apple is expected to charge $3,000 for it upcoming;mixed reality headset, which resembles ski goggles and will be an experimental product, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Apple has spent seven years developing the device, which will be its first;new major product since it released the AirPods in 2016.
- According to the WSJ, the headset is debuting in an experimental mode and will require a separate battery pack to run.
- While Apple has prepared a demo version of the headset for its annual software conference in June, the device isn't expected to be widely available until at least the fall.
- It will combine augmented and virtual reality in a single device, allowing users to fully immerse themselves in virtual worlds or transition to see their physical surroundings thanks to outward-facing cameras.
- The device has faced challenges involving production and software integration, leading some employees and suppliers to question if Apple could;push back its release.
- Apple still hopes the headset will boost the metaverse market, despite skepticism from investors and potential partners about whether consumers are;ready to embrace AR/VR.
- The AR and VR market, worth $28.5B in 2021, is projected to reach;$200.1B by 2030.