Apple delays the reveal of its mixed-reality headset until WWDC in June

Apple’s mixed-reality headset, which has been rumored for years now, has reportedly been delayed once again.

As reported by Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, the company was initially planning to unveil the headset at an event as soon as March. However, Apple has chosen to delay the unveiling and show off the headset, as well as all of the software and developer tools to go along with it, at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

The iPhone maker is now aiming to unveil the product at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are confidential. Apple made the decision to delay the launch earlier this month after product testing showed that both hardware and software issues still needed to be ironed out, they said.

According to the report, Dan Riccio, Apple’s former senior vice president of Hardware Engineering who now holds an unnamed role involved in the development of the headset, “has become increasingly involved in the endeavor in recent weeks as the company looks to resolve remaining issues, the people added.”

The headset, which is rumored to be called Reality Pro, is expected to be a leapfrog product for virtual and mixed reality, jumping ahead of Meta’s Quest Pro in terms of user experience and performance. Due to that performance, it is expected to cost around $3000.

Apple’s mixed-reality headset will feature a new operating system, dubbed xrOS internally, that features a 3D-like view of an iPhone interface, complete with apps like Messages, Mail, Safari and TV. The device — codenamed N301 — will allow for more advanced virtual videoconferencing, with realistic avatars, as well as immersive video streaming. It will also include an App Store like Apple’s other core products. 

WWDC seems like a perfect time for Apple to announce “One More Thing” and unveil the hardware, software, and developer tools all at once. The company is surely betting on developers to boost the appeal of the headset with a range of available apps, so zeroing in on WWDC, where the company hosts thousands of developers in person (maybe this year!) and millions virtually, is the perfect time to get them, and the rest of us, on board.

Speaking of WWDC, the company should also unveil the latest versions of its operating systems. If you’re hungry for an idea of what that might look like, check out this iOS 17 concept.