Mass Production of Apple's Mixed-Reality Headset Said to Begin in March 2023

Apple is moving forward on development of its mixed-reality headset with Pegatron set to be the exclusive partner for final assembly, according to DigiTimes. Based on the headset's current status in the manufacturing validation process, the report predicts that mass production is likely to begin in March 2023 with an unveiling possibly being held the following month.

apple mixed reality headset mockup feature blue
Initial production is said to be very limited, with a high price point limiting Apple's first headset mainly to commercial markets.

Industry sources stated this XR headset mainly targets the commercial markets. The price is higher and the shipment quantity is limited. Previous estimates said that the annual shipment for this device would reach 2.5 million units. However, right now, rough estimates placed the annual shipment at around 0.7 to 0.8 million units. For supply chain manufacturers that benefit from quantity, this is not a particularly profitable order.

Despite low profitability on production of the initial headset, Apple's manufacturing partners are said to be willing to work with Apple on the project to prove their technical capabilities so they will be well positioned for future AR/VR products. Apple's brand recognition also makes it easier for the firms to raise money in capital markets to fund their activities.

Apple has been working on augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality headsets for a number of years, but has reportedly faced some development struggles that have slowed its progress. While earlier rumors had suggested Apple might show off the headset at some point during 2022, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in June that Apple would likely target a January 2023 introduction.

Today's report from DigiTimes may not necessarily significantly differ from Kuo's, as Kuo suggested that pre-orders would not begin until the second quarter of 2023 with shipments beginning by WWDC in June.

Consequently, both Kuo and ‌DigiTimes‌ appear to be citing similar time frames for mass production, with differences in expected introduction timing (January for Kuo and April for ‌DigiTimes‌) coming down to Apple's preference for how much lead time to give developers before the headset begins shipping.

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

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...

Top Rated Comments

ian87w Avatar
32 months ago
The rumor that keeps on going but never gives. :D
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
32 months ago
I was hoping to win the Power Ball so I could waste money on this. Sigh...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kierkegaarden Avatar
32 months ago
A January event for this still makes sense — they need to get this in the hands of developers, so being available by the third quarter would work out to give developers time before WWDC.

I also think they are vastly underestimating interest in this product — guessing they will be backordered for many months.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
32 months ago
The importance of AR cannot be overstated as Tim has called AR “critical” to Apple. “Critical” means it’s of vital importance thst the product is a success. This is why it will be bigger than iPhone.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Born Again Avatar
32 months ago
“AR/VR sucks!! It’s a fad!!! Nobody wants this!! I get dizzy! Wahhh!!” - Macrumors user 2022

“Take my money Apple!!!” - Macrumors user 2023
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nicky G Avatar
32 months ago
I might buy one.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)