Apple Reality Pro Mixed Reality Headset May Enter Mass Production in March 2023: Report

Apple Reality Pro, the company's mixed reality (MR) headset that is said to be in development, has been tipped to enter mass production by March 2023, according to a report. The California-based iPhone and MacBook maker's first mixed reality headset was previously expected to be announced in January 2023, followed by pre-order sales commencing sometime in the second quarter of 2023, eventually leading up to open sales around June, around the same time Apple holds its annual WWDC event. The mixed reality headset is reportedly expected to be supplied by Chinese contract manufacturer Pegatron.

Chinese contract manufacturer Pegatron is expected to be the main supplier for the device, according to a report by DigiTimes. The report also suggests that Apple may launch its first-ever XR headset at an event in April 2023, countering earlier claims of the headset launching at the company's WWDC event that is expected to take place in June. The headset may initially launch through limited supply channels, as per the report.

According to an earlier report, Apple has trademarked the 'Reality' brand name which is tipped to be for the company's line of headsets. Apple's three AR-VR headsets were tipped to be codenamed N301, N602, and N421. The N301 codenamed device has been tipped as the company's MR headset, while the report also suggests that this MR device will be called Apple Reality Pro.

The purported Apple Reality Pro MR headset is expected to compete with Facebook-parent Meta's upcoming MR headset.

Meanwhile, the device codenamed N602 is expected to be a lightweight AR version of the Apple Reality Pro headset, which may be launched by the company in later years at a lower price point under the 'Reality One' moniker. The N421 codenamed devices apparently belong to Apple's rumoured AR glasses, which is tipped to be called Reality Processor. The company reportedly submitted trademark applications using a shell company called Immersive Health Solutions LLC, for the Reality One, Reality Pro, and Reality Processor names.

An earlier report had also suggested that the rumoured mixed reality (MR) headset, Apple Reality Pro, will utilise iris scanning for enabling sign-in and payments. It was suggested that the mechanism would work much like Apple's fingerprint feature or Face ID authentication seen on other devices and could also allow multiple people to use one headset. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted last year that the mixed reality headset could support iris recognition. The eye tracking system is said to feature a transmitter and receiver that can analyse eye movements.