According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s long-rumoured augmented and virtual reality headset is finally nearing completion. The company is said to be planning to announce the device this spring, ahead of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. In preparation for the launch, Apple has reportedly shared the headset with select software developers, giving them a first look at its new “xrOS” software. The report indicates that after the spring announcement, the device is expected to be released in the fall.
The final push to release the headset is impacting the rest of Apple’s product lineup for 2023. The next version of the company’s iOS operating system will have fewer major changes than originally planned as software engineers have been reassigned to work on the xrOS team. Similarly, the macOS 14 release will also be affected. In terms of hardware, Apple’s product releases for the year are expected to be underwhelming. There are no updates of “of note” planned for the iPad, Apple Watch, or audio lines. Gurman mentions that new iPad Pro models with OLED displays are in the works, but those will likely not arrive until 2024. Additionally, he warns that the upcoming Apple Silicon MacPro will be “another disappointment” as it will feature the same design as its 2019 predecessor and users won’t be able to upgrade the computer’s RAM on their own due to the architecture of Apple’s M-series chipsets.
The only bright spots in the otherwise lacklustre release schedule could be the launch of a new 15-inch MacBook Air and the iPhone 15. The iPhone 15 is expected to feature Apple’s new Dynamic Island feature and USB-C charging, while the Pro models will also include new titanium frames and haptic volume buttons.
