Apple expected to unveil mixed-reality headset

Apple Inc. is widely expected to announce on Monday a new mixed-reality headgear at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in California.

It would mark the tech giant's most significant product launch since the 2015 Apple Watch release.

The iPhone maker has so far limited augmented-reality efforts to technology that works on its existing devices. But it seems set to tap into the new generation of technology where real and digital worlds converge.

The highly anticipated headset will put Apple in competition with Facebook's parent Meta, which has been working for years to push its parallel digital universe, or the "metaverse."

What we know about Apple's 'Reality Pro' headset

According to media reports citing analysts, Apple is expected to spotlight a "Reality Pro" headset, with a price tag of around $3,000 and custom-made software for the gear that could resemble a pair of ski goggles.

The goggles are expected to have a slick Apple-family design, paired with the capability of toggling between virtual or augmented reality, which is referred to as mixed reality or external reality (XR).

While hopes are high for Apple to boast surprising technology, the goggle's high price could leave many eager fans disappointed.

Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives estimated that Apple could sell just 150,000 units during the headset's first year on the market — a low figure for a company that sells annually more than 200 million of its marquee product, the iPhone.

fb/sri (AFP, AP, Reuters)