Apple’s Next ‘Industry-Shifting Product’ Arrives Monday, Says Gurman Ahead Of WWDC’s Unveiling Of MR Headset: ‘It’s Hard To Bet Against The Company’
Benzinga – Apple, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) mixed-reality headset is widely expected to launch on the first day of the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, which kickstarts on Monday and will run through Friday.
The Agenda: The WWDC 2023, which has been promoted with the tagline “Code new worlds,” will start with a keynote on Monday at 1 p.m. EDT, followed by a “state of union” that addresses developers at 4:30 p.m. EDT. The Apple Design Awards will be presented at 9:30 p.m. EDT.
The keynote is expected to be a prerecorded video that will be played outside at the Apple Park headquarters.
The company has planned several sessions, including one on creating apps and games via the latest updates on Apple platforms. Participants, who will most likely consist of developers, can get one-on-one guidance from Apple engineers, designers and other experts on how to implement new Apple technologies and how to improve their App Store presence, among other things.
CEO Tim Cook will likely unveil the MR headset in his keynote.
Source: Apple
The Pros And Cons: After launching a number of industry-shifting products such as the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007, the iPad in 2010 and the Apple Watch in 2015, Apple is prepping to do it all over again with its first MR headset, said Mark Gurman in his weekly “Power On” newsletter.
“While no product will ever live up to the iPhone, the headset has the potential to usher in a new era,” Gurman said, adding that it could “kick off the shift to a different interface that upends how people work, play games and entertain themselves.”
That said, the Apple specialist sees risks as well. “It is also a risky endeavor that could backfire,” he said.
Among the risks he outlined are:
- MR being a nascent field
- Consumers’ hesitancy about wearing a computer on their face
- Design quirks such as an external battery pack
- A $3,000 price tag
- Potential lack of killer apps at launch
Headset Are The Future Of Computers: Headsets could be the future of computers, Gurman said, adding that the launch of the MR headset could provide Apple with a starting point. The first iteration could be a flop in terms of its unit sales relative to Apple’s other product categories, the columnist said.
But the product could still become the market leader within a matter of quarters, he added. Gurman’s optimism is premised on the hopes that Apple can fix problems in the first model with future iterations. The company is already working on two follow-up versions, namely a pro version and a downscale model, he noted.
“While it might take three or five years for a headset to become a hit, it’s hard to bet against the company’s marketing, engineering and sales prowess,” Gurman said.
“If anyone can make this product category a success, it’s Apple,” he added.
Other Keynote Announcements: Gurman said he expects Cook’s keynote to cover “myriad changes” to its software platforms. The company is expected to roll out other new hardware, such as fresh Macs, he added.
Apple closed Friday’s session up 0.48% at $180.95, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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Read Next: Apple’s Mixed-Reality Headset Clash With Meta To Play Out Same Way As Former’s 15-Year Fight With Google’s Android, Says Gurman
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