Apple's long-standing rumor cycle of developing a mixed reality (MR) headset is finally coming to fruition with the product set to ship this year. However, the road to a successful XR (AR+VR) play is not an easy one, with big corporations and well-funded startups failing in the past. This new product category is a wholly new venture for Apple and the category doesn't feel like a foregone conclusion for the tech giant.
There's a debate on how this new product will play into Tim Cook's legacy, who took over as the chief executive more than a decade ago. While Steve Jobs' position as one of the leading technologists was cemented with his role in developing the Mac, iPhone, and iPad, Cook's contributions to products like the Apple Watch and AirPods cannot be overstated.
Reports suggest that Apple has been working on the MR headset for seven years, with a former Apple engineer noting that the company has been postponing its launch each year. While Apple has dominated the smartwatch category, the MR headset's success remains to be seen, and the scattered state of the market provides plenty of reasons to be skeptical.
At the CES, major players in VR showcased their headsets, and the push into enterprise was evident. Magic Leap, Meta, and HTC are leaning heavily towards enterprise, recognizing the value to be derived from AR in business. Practically everyone in the industry is eagerly waiting for Apple to enter the space, as it could create new market share and help resolve the technology and software bottlenecks in the category.
Apple has in-house silicon, a big potential driver for the MR headset, and has made significant advancements on the GPU side of things. As a major ecosystem play, the MR headset could well be the AirPods' spatial audio's time to shine. Apple is known for taking its time, not being the first to market, and still managing to release category-defining products.
An MR headset is a huge piece of Apple's future, and the company must get it right the first time. Despite the shareholders' growing impatience after seven years of planning, Apple's legacy and future in this new product category depend on the success of the MR headset. While Apple may not need a mixed reality hit, mixed reality increasingly seems to need an Apple hit.
