Do you want Apple’s virtual reality headset? Agreed, but you will pay dearly, very dearly. According to previously leaked information, even the most affordable model would cost more than most Macs.
Apple isn’t known to be skilled at marketing affordable devices… but with its future VR headsets, the brand would have a particularly heavy hand. This has been pointed out by several sources in recent weeks. However, the latest one to date has the merit of being a bit more accurate than usual.
We learn from iMore that even Apple’s most “affordable” VR headset would be more expensive than most Macs currently on the market. And for good reason, according to data from Nilkkei Asia, based on ” estimates from analysts and industry executives “, the device would be marketed at an approximate price of between 3,000 and 5,000 dollars. Therefore, extremely prohibitive pricing for a niche product.
At Apple, VR will not be for ordinary mortals
The Nikkei Asia insider, an executive with ties to Apple’s headphone development, confirmed that ” the first generation of AR/VR headsets will be extremely expensive “. According to rumors, Apple is working on a more accessible second generation. However, according to this same source, it will cost as much as a ” high end mac computer without giving more details. To keep an order of magnitude in mind, remember that the MacBook Pro 14 starts at 2,400 euros in France.
In detail, Nikkei reveals that Apple’s headphones would be based on Micro OLED screens, which are very expensive and are the first used by the brand. In fact, these slabs would cost $150 each to make, more than twice as much as an iPhone 14’s OLED screen… and we can count on Apple not to cut corners.
For the assembly of its helmet, Apple would also collaborate with the Chinese Luxshare Precision. According to Nikkei, this is the first time that Apple has relied on it for a first-generation product. In fact, the outsourcer would have managed to position itself more candidly than Pegatron and Foxconn for the manufacture of this first mixed reality headset. However, we learned that Foxconn would also be involved, to some degree, in assembling the device.
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