Internal Disagreements Arise At Apple Over AR/VR Headset Launch Plan

Key Highlights

• Apple’s operations team wants to launch a “version one” headset, while the industrial design team wants to delay until a lighter and more affordable version is feasible.
• Apple is working on separate projects for AR and AR/VR headsets, with the former still in its early stages and the latter facing competition in the market.

Apple faces internal disagreements over the release of the AR/VR headset. Reports suggest that Apple CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams are keen to release the much-anticipated AR/VR headset as soon as possible, even if its design is not optimal. 

However, the company’s designers are pushing for a delay until a lighter and more affordable version becomes feasible. The headset is estimated to cost between $2,000 and $3,000. The headset is intended for short usage stints, making it slightly more cumbersome than an all-day device. 

According to a report from the Financial Times, Apple’s operations team favored launching a “version one” product, which would be a headset similar to ski goggles. This headset would enable users to experience immersive 3D video, interactive workouts, and FaceTime conversations with realistic avatars.

However, the industrial design team at Apple urged caution and suggested waiting for a more lightweight version of AR glasses that would be feasible to launch.

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Apple Works On AR and VR Headset Projects

Apple is reportedly working on two separate headset projects, one for AR and the other for AR/VR. The AR headset is still in its early stages and will likely take several years before it becomes technologically feasible. 

Apple CEO Tim Cook has expressed positivity towards AR, stating that it will “pervade our entire lives.” In contrast, Cook has discouraged spending too much time in a virtual world. The push for a VR product release is driven by increasing competition in the market. 

The situation highlights a shift in power dynamics at Apple under Cook’s leadership, with the design team, now reporting to COO Jeff Williams following the departure of former design lead Jony Ive and current design lead Evans Hankey’s upcoming departure.