Apple’s mixed reality headset could be released this year

Apple might finally unveil its long-awaited mixed reality headset in spring – unless it postpones, again.

The world’s most valuable company is aiming to introduce its mixed-reality headset ahead of the annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

Apple has already shared the device with a small number of “high-profile” software developers for testing and third-party app development, Gurman said in his latest Power On newsletter.

He said the device was likely to be called Reality Pro and start shipping in fall. The headset is said to have its own operating system. Codenamed Borealis, it will be called xrOS on its release, according to Gurman.

It took Apple seven years to develop the headset, which it first planned to get to market by 2019. Apple then delayed the release several times. The final postponement – for the release date in January 2023 – happened last year, Gurman said.

He added that the company still had to work out details, including hardware, software, and services, as well as how the device would be marketed and sold.

Apple was banking on the headset as its “hot new introduction” for this year, Gurman said, which he noted would come at the cost of fewer “major breakthroughs” in other areas, including upcoming iOS 17 and iPadOS operating systems.