Kuo and Gurman Not Expecting MR-Headset Demo at WWDC22

01 JUNE 2022 - An expectation from TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo to set our thoughts-a-whirring. The analyst hit Twitter with a couple of messages on Tuesday saying he does not expect to see an AR/VR headset from Apple during next week’s WWDC keynote. In the first, the analyst said:

It still takes some time before Apple AR/MR headset enters mass production, so I don't think Apple will release AR/MR headset and rumored realityOS at WWDC this year. Apple's competitors worldwide can't wait to see the hardware spec and OS design for Apple's AR/MR headset.

While the second post to Twitter read:

I'm sure that if Apple announces AR/MR headset and its OS at WWDC, competitors will immediately kick off copycat projects and happily copy Apple's excellent ideas, and hit the store shelves before Apple launches in 2023.

I know I said earlier this week that I want to believe - and I do. Trying to figure out when the whole thing will happen is tricky, though. Apple will want to give developers time to develop for the headset, so you’ve gotta figure they’ll show off the hardware and operating system months ahead of availability. They did that with Apple Watch, announcing the device in September 2014 ahead of an April 2015 release. They did something similar with iPad, announcing the first one in January 2010 ahead of an April 2010 release. Even iPhone got a January 2007 announcement ahead of a late-June 2007 release, though that had nothing to do with developers.

Of those three - Apple Watch, iPad, and iPhone, the watch may give us the best guide. Like the iPad release, the watch release took third-party developers into account. Additionally, like the headset will be, it represented a whole new product category for Apple.

Kuo's not the only one tapping the brakes on headset expectations. MacRumors points to part of Mark Gruman’s most recent "Power On" newsletter. In that, Gurman said:

In terms of new hardware... though Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset is full steam ahead — underscored by the recent demonstration of the device to the company's board — I'd be wary of expecting a full-blown presentation for developers and consumers next week.