Apple to Launch Mixed Reality Headset Despite Objections From Design Team [Report]

Apple decided to push ahead with the launch of a mixed reality headset, despite objections from the company's design team, reports the Financial Times.

The headset, which has been in development for seven years, is expected to finally arrive this year. It will be the first major product developed entirely under Tim Cook's leadership and it could become the product he is most remembered for.

According to the Financial Times, Cook decided to press forward with the device despite objections from the company's design team. The designers wanted to wait until the technology for AR glasses was viable. Operations wanted to release a mixed reality headset first. Cook sided with operations chief Jeff Williams.


The timing of the launch has been a source of tension since the project began in early 2016, according to multiple people familiar with Apple's internal discussions. Apple's operations team wanted to ship a "version one" product, a ski goggle-like headset that will allow users to watch immersive 3D video, perform interactive workouts or chat with realistic avatars through a revamped FaceTime. But Apple's famed industrial design team had cautioned patience, wanting to delay until a more lightweight version of AR glasses became technically feasible. Most in the tech industry expect that to take several more years.

Although the mixed reality headset is an easier device to develop, Apple has still experienced challenges, delaying its launch repeatedly.

"They have huge pressure to ship" the headset, said a former Apple engineer who worked on the product's development. "They have been postponing the launch each year for the past [few] years."

When the first generation headset arrives, it will likely be a high-end device with an array of cameras and high-resolution screens, and a cost of around $3,000. That will limit its sales significantly; however, it will give developers time to create applications that could be used on a cheaper second generation device.


More details in the full report linked below...

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