New Delhi: Apple Inc is anticipated to unveil a mixed-reality headset at its annual software program developer convention on Monday, its first massive transfer into a brand new product class for the reason that introduction of the Apple Watch 9 years in the past.
The launch will see Apple check a market crowded with gadgets which have but to achieve traction with shoppers and put it in direct competitors with Facebook-owner Meta Platforms.
Like Meta’s Quest Pro from final yr and Quest 3 introduced final week, Apple’s machine is more likely to mix a video feed from the skin world with a digital world displayed on screens contained in the headset.
Analysts anticipate Apple’s headset to come back with premium options together with a high-quality show and hand-tracking so it may be managed with out an exterior controller. It’s additionally more likely to price far more than the deliberate $500 Quest 3.
Investors and tech followers alike shall be specializing in how a lot Apple’s view of the digital actuality market overlaps with Meta’s. Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has outlined his imaginative and prescient for utilizing headsets to dip out and in of a “metaverse” the place individuals can meet just about to work, play and spend.
In addition to Meta, Sony Group Corp and ByteDance-owned Pico each not too long ago launched digital actuality gadgets.
Research agency IDC stated corporations offered a complete of 8.8 million headsets final yr, down 20.9 p.c from 2021. In the primary quarter of 2023, gross sales greater than halved.
Apple’s presentation on Monday is generally aimed toward sparking the imaginations of the 1000’s of software program builders who will stream into Apple Park for a keynote deal with at 1 p.m. Eastern Time (1700 GMT).
Apple may even ship updates on its working techniques for iPhones, iPads, and Mac computer systems.
Investors may even search for updates on CarPlay, Apple’s software program for automobiles, which the corporate stated final yr would begin to energy extra dashboard capabilities.
