Apple's 'Reality Pro' Headset Said to Launch Before WWDC, Ships in the Fall

Apple's AR/VR headset, likely to be named "Reality Pro," will be announced during an event this spring before WWDC, which is typically held in June, before the product begins shipping this fall.

apple ar headset concept 2Concept render by Ian Zelbo based on purported leaked information

In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that Apple's current plan is to announce the headset during an event in the spring, before the company's Worldwide Developers Conference in June. According to Gurman, Apple plans to announce the product, then have developers introduced to its operating system, xrOS, at WWDC, before shipping it in the fall.

The final postponement, at least for the moment, happened last year. Up until fairly recently, Apple had aimed to introduce the headset in January 2023 and ship it later this year. Now the company is aiming to unveil it this spring ahead of the annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June, I'm told.

With the current plan, Apple could introduce the device to consumers — likely under the name Reality Pro — and then get developers up to speed on its software features in June. On this timeline, the company would then ship the product later in the fall of 2023.

Apple has been rumored to announce its AR/VR headset for the last several years, with 2023 seeming to be the year it finally happens. According to Gurman, Apple is already working with several "high-profile developers" on experiences and apps for the new headset and the ‌xrOS‌ operating system. Apple's first headset is expected to be a high-end and niche product, tailored towards professionals and developers before a more consumer-friendly headset launches in the next several years.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
New MacBook Pros Launching Tomorrow With These 4 New Features 2

M5 MacBook Models to Use New Compact Camera Module in 2025

Wednesday July 17, 2024 2:58 am PDT by
Apple in 2025 will take on a new compact camera module (CCM) supplier for future MacBook models powered by its next-generation M5 chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Writing in his latest investor note on unny-opticals-2025-business-momentum-to-benefit-509819818c2a">Medium, Kuo said Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company...
Apple Watch Series 9

2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting

Tuesday July 16, 2024 7:59 am PDT by
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...

Top Rated Comments

dantracht Avatar
20 months ago
Sorry but I couldn’t be less interested in this. Sure, it will be cool to see the usual YouTube suspects go on and on and on and on about how amazing it is, but can’t Apple focus on fixing the bugs instead of this pointless product?

Just my opinion, I respect yours.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RedTheReader Avatar
20 months ago
I can’t wait for this one. First an underwhelming release with no real features people want to use, then a gradual acceptance over the years, then widespread adoption of a device category that’s gotten no more useful over the years.

Apple Watch and iPad all over again.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacDevil7334 Avatar
20 months ago
Still not even remotely sold on the need for this device or whether it will be worth the trade-offs of a heavy headset on your face. Of course, I was also incredibly skeptical of the Apple Watch and now it’s a daily wear device for me. So, if anyone can change my mind, it’s Apple!

I will say it is very nice to see Apple making new hardware for a change instead of yet another subscription or advertising “service” to grow revenue. I’m rooting for this device to succeed for that reason, even if I never buy one.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FloridaScrubJay Avatar
20 months ago
The ultimate device for social isolation. I guess I am getting too old, however I feel sorry for our future generations. Take a walk in a park and enjoy the true natural world.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Doebldodl Avatar
20 months ago
"consuemr-firendel headset". Please fix :)

(Update: now fixed. Thanks!)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ninethirty Avatar
20 months ago
But when will Apple get with the times and release a foldable AR/VR headset?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)