But none of those headsets have penetrated the mainstream.Īpple, with its balance sheet, hardware capabilities, and software expertise could, however, be the company that actually brings the technology to the masses in an appealing way. There are the standalone units like the Oculus Quest 2, PC-connected models like HTC’s Vive Cosmos Series, and smartphone-powered systems like Samsung’s since-discontinued Gear VR line. Story continues Apple has a track record of bringing tech to the mainstreamĪR and VR headsets have been on the market for a few years now. Need proof? Look no further than what the company did for the smartwatch and wireless earbud industry. Take an existing product and perfect it to the point that consumers of all stripes want it. Think the Apple Watch, which debuted in September 2014 before going on sale in April 2015.īut if any company is going to bring VR and AR to the mainstream, Apple can do it.

It’ll also be rather pricey, reportedly costing upwards of $3,000, and will take some time to come to market following its debut. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the headset will focus on gaming, communications, and media consumption. That, however, may soon change, with Apple ( AAPL) reportedly set to launch its own headset sometime in 2022. How many of you, your friends, or your family members own VR headsets? And how many of those that own them actually use them more than a few times a year? Sure, Facebook parent Meta ( FB) has sold roughly 4 million of its Oculus Quest 2 headsets, but we’re nowhere near mass market adoption. While the 3-D internet world known as the metaverse has become the biggest tech buzzword of 2021, the virtual reality and augmented reality headsets needed to enter that world have been slow to take off. Wednesday, DecemIf AR and VR headsets are going to go mainstream, Apple will be the one to do it

Get it sent directly to your inbox every Wednesday by 4 p.m. This article was first featured in Yahoo Finance Tech, a weekly newsletter highlighting our original content on the industry. Apple CEO Tim Cook greets customers at the new Apple Store on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 24, 2021.

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