The much-anticipated mixed reality headset by Apple which is likely to be launched next year in January will be a "game-changer" in the augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) market, says famed Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo. In a note published in Medium, an industry reliable analyst from TF International Securities said that Meta’s VR hardware investment cut will benefit other VR headset brands amid the rapid continuous growth of the VR industry.
"Meta’s VR hardware investment cut will benefit other VR headset brands amid VR industry’s continuous growth. In addition, the vast potential demand in the Chinese market and Apple AR/MR, which will likely be announced in January 2023, will also favour the continued rapid growth of the headset sector," Kuo wrote.
As per Kuo, the Apple AR or MR device would be the most complicated product Apple has ever designed.
"Although Apple has repeatedly reiterated its focus on AR, I believe Apple AR/MR supporting video see-thru could also offer an excellent immersive experience. Therefore, the launch of Apple AR/MR will further boost the demand for immersive gaming/multimedia entertainment," Kuo noted.
After Cupertino, California-based Apple launches its AR/MR headset, its global rivals will compete to imitate the device, leading the headset hardware industry to the next stage of rapid growth and benefiting the related services and content ecosystem. Mark Zuckerberg's Meta is already in the race, followed by tech majors such as Sony and HTC. Microsoft too has its mixed reality experiences-enabling HoloLens headset to offer.