Foxconn Reportedly Working on Apple's Cheaper Second-Generation Headset
Apple's long-rumored AR/VR headset has yet to be announced, but Nikkei Asia today reported that the company's manufacturing partner Foxconn is already developing a cheaper second-generation version of the headset.
Image Credit: Ian Zelbo
The report cites an unnamed "executive with knowledge of the development" who claims that Apple's first headset will be "extremely expensive," with industry estimates ranging from $3,000 to $5,000. The source believes Apple's second-generation headset will have a more affordable price within the territory of "a high-end Mac computer."
From the report:
Foxconn is also helping with the AR project, four people told Nikkei Asia. The longtime iPhone assembler will work on parallel development of a cheaper second-generation AR device, four sources said. Foxconn's focus will be on automating mass production and improving production performance to help Apple lower overall costs, according to two people familiar with the plans.
Apple's plans to release a cheaper version of its AR/VR headset were first reported last month by The Information's Wayne Ma and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The headset would supposedly use more affordable components, such as lower-resolution lenses.
Apple's first headset is expected to be announced at WWDC in June and will reportedly have over a dozen cameras, dual 4K lenses, advanced eye and hand tracking, a physical knob similar to the Apple Watch's Digital Crown, and many other advanced features. On the software side, the device is said to have an iOS-like interface with a grid of apps.
Popular Stories
2024 is just a few days away, and there are many iOS 17 and iOS 18 features that are expected to launch throughout the year. Below, we have recapped new iOS features expected in 2024, including Stolen Device Protection, collaborative Apple Music playlists, AirPlay on hotel room TVs, app sideloading in the EU, next-generation CarPlay, roadside assistance via satellite outside of the U.S., RCS ...
Apple released the first beta of iOS 17.3 earlier this month, and the upcoming software update includes two new features so far. iOS 17.3 will likely be released in January like iOS 16.3 and iOS 15.3 were, but February is also a possibility if testing is prolonged. Below, we provide additional details about the new features in iOS 17.3 so far. Stolen Device Protection Earlier this...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models concurrently, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Inverse's Raymond Wong today published an in-depth overview of Apple's increasing push towards high-end gaming on the Mac. The story includes commentary from Apple marketing managers Gordon Keppel and Leland Martin. One of the biggest reasons that gaming has improved on the Mac in recent years is the switch from Intel processors to Apple silicon, resulting in MacBooks providing...
Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 are back in some of Apple's retail stores in the United States today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Select stores will have availability today, while all stores will have the Apple Watch models back in stock by December 30. Online sales of the devices are set to resume tomorrow by 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Apple is able to begin selling ...
Apple's iPhones include several headline camera features that are worth using, such as Portrait Mode and Photographic Styles. But if all you want to use is the standard photo mode, there are still several tools and settings that can improve the composition of your pictures and help you capture the perfect shot using more traditional techniques. Whether you are the owner of a new iPhone or a...
The ban on imports of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models has today been temporarily paused, meaning that the devices can now go back on sale for a short while longer in the United States. Apple filed an emergency request to the United States Court of Appeals following President Biden's decision to decline a veto on the sales ban, allowing it to take effect earlier this week. ...
Top Rated Comments
They are wanting it to have the feel of a high end product and still garner the software to support it. I'm guessing they will have only under 5 software developers they are currently working closely with.
3k is NOT expensive when you consider the quality of hardware & sensors that have been rumored. Just look at how much their computer hardware is.
Personally, I’d only be interested in this if A) I was rich and B) if it was so advanced that I could dive into a world that looks actually real (think avatar) to get away from German winter for a bit every day haha imagine visiting Hawaii from your living room. However, so far everything VR/AR I have seen looks like a „updated“ version of Nintendo Wii graphics
So what is this we are going to see? Doesn't sound very interesting if I can't own one. Boring. For those non-business users that will buy one, I envy your vast wealth. This I know. So in nutshell the real release date is maybe late next year or farther out (like much).
They should have just ...not done it this way. Like SJ showing the first iPhone that 'just costs too much for anyone' .Lines would have to wait....for years.
Sorry to be so negative, but I'm finding it so easy.