Apple Reality Pro Arriving 2023

Updated May 4, 2023

Apple will launch its first mixed reality (MR) headset in early 2023, according to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Following the recently announced iPhone 14 Pro and AirPods Pro, the device is expected to bear the name “Apple Reality Pro.”

Gurman believes Apple is working on three VR/AR/MR devices codenamed N301, N602, and N421, with N301 being Apple Reality Pro and expected to arrive first. N602 is believed to be a successor to Reality Pro and retail for a lower price to function as a high-quality entry-level device. Gurman claims N421 will be Apple’s dedicated AR device and does not expect a launch for quite some time.

The Price of Reality

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reported that Apple plans to release its first mixed reality device in January 2023 and expects to ship 1.5 million units that year. The device, Kuo predicts, may include dual processors, 15 camera modules, dual 4K micro-LED displays, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, as well as eye, object, and hand tracking. Expected to cost consumers around $2000 USD, this high-end device could be Apple Reality Pro and become a significant competitor to Meta’s forthcoming Quest Pro.

As strong an indication that the AR and MR hardware wars are heating up as anyone could hope for, Apple’s entry into the market bodes very well for fans of immersive media experiences. Even though Apple has been historically resistant to adult content being enjoyed on their devices, the iPhone became one of the world’s most popular devices for viewing porn. With Apple Reality Pro on the horizon, virtual porn could soon become much more commonplace and, as a result, see a boom in both popularity and quality.

Reality Pro Headed for Production

Apple Reality Pro, Apple’s dedicated VR/AR device, will, according to a DigiTimes report, begin production in Taiwan at “the end of the first quarter of 2023.” Estimated at around 750,000 units, the production run will result in a device said to be aimed at “commercial markets.” Public unveiling could happen as soon as the following month, according to MacRumors.

Apple may not be historically known for its dedication to gaming, but that could change once it steps into the world of VR and AR. Apple is reportedly hiring game developers, including two founders of Playdeo, a mobile game studio best known for Avo, a game in which players draw lines to guide a sentient avocado through real-world environments. This could bode well for fans of adult VR and AR gaming, too, as any device built with gaming in mind will prove a good fit for the increasingly ambitious adult titles both already available and on the horizon.

Arrival is Imminent

With June’s WWDC event just around the corner, anticipation for Apple Reality Pro is gathering steam. Further details arrived recently and show the device to be a potentially risky release for industry leader Apple. Bearing an expected minimum retail price of $3,000 USD, three times that of Meta’s Quest Pro, widespread consumer adoption of Reality Pro could be much harder for Apple than for its major competitors.

Reality Pro is said to be compatible with thousands of existing iOS apps familiar to users of iPad and iPhone devices, which should at least ease the transition into VR/AR for those that do spring for Reality Pro. Just how these existing apps will operate in VR/AR remains to be seen, but it is hoped significant enhancements will be present. A battery pack similar to Apple’s iPhone MagSafe Battery Pack will likely provide power to the main headset unit and fit inside a user’s pocket.

Although Kuo has expressed concerns about consumer response to Reality Pro upon launch, it will undoubtedly become an item of major interest to VR veterans, AR hopefuls, and laymen alike.