Apple

Apple’s upcoming VR/AR headset could cost buyers over $2,000

I wouldn’t expect anything less from a company that charges $29 for a cleaning cloth.

by
Kevin Raposo
January 17, 2022

Image: 9to5Mac

Apple hasn’t shared any official details on its upcoming mixed reality headset, but that’s not stopping the rumor mill from spinning. In a recent entry into the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports Apple’s VR/AR headset could cost consumers over $2,000.

At this point, we should expect this. Apple doesn’t necessarily offer its products for the budget-minded, so the report of this device costing over $2,000 seems right in line. But Gurman’s take on Apple’s headset makes more sense:

Apple typically charges a bit more than its competitors for products, locking in margins that have helped it become one of the most profitable consumer-electronics companies ever. The new headset won’t be an exception, but the main reason why the company has discussed price points above $2,000 is because of some of its internal technologies.

Speaking of internal technologies, the headset will reportedly feature an M1 Pro chip or something similar.

This is the same chip the company uses in its new line of MacBook Pros, which explains why the headset’s cost will sit more on the pricey side of things. Gurman explains a bit further:

I’d expect two processors inside of the device, including one on par with the M1 Pro in the MacBook Pro. Combine that with multiple displays—including super-high-resolution 8K panels—an interchangeable prescription lens option and advanced audio technology, and the costs add up. And don’t forget seven years of internal development expenses that need to be recouped. (…) My belief is that the chip inside the Apple headset will be on par with the M1 Pro, making it better than the M1.

READ MORE: Don’t expect to see Apple’s VR/AR headset at WWDC this year

As you can see, there’s a lot going on here, which helps justify the high price tag. Apple is essentially putting the same computing power it uses for its new MacBooks in a headset you slap on your face. That’s pretty impressive.

With all of this said, this is just one reporter’s account on the matter based on anonymous sources, so there’s no telling if these details are accurate. But given Gurman’s track record with Apple leaks, they’re usually spot-on for the most part.

We should hear more from Apple in the coming months. Apple usually reserves these kinds of announcements for its annual WWDC developer conference. And if we don’t hear anything about the headset then, we should expect to learn more in late 2022, early 2023.

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