Apple's game-changing MR headset delayed to 2H 2023: 'software-related issues'

Apple was expected to unveil its game-changing AR/MR (augmented reality/mixed reality) headset at its own big media reveal event in January, but one of the biggest analysts in the business has said that the Apple MR headset has now been delayed.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has tweeted out some new details on Apple's new MR headset, saying that it has been delayed until the second half of 2023... according to unknown "software-related issues". Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted that their latest survey indicates the mass shipment schedule of Apple's new MR headset may be delayed through to the second half of 2023 "because of software-related issues". The previous shipping estimate was aiming for Q2 2023.

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The tweets continued, with Kuo explaining that the mass shipment of components is still penciled in for 1H 2023 or Q2 2023, but due to the postponed mass shipment schedule of the end product, Apple's new MR headset shipment forecast for 2023 should be less than 500,000 units... down from the market consensus of 800,000 to 1.2 million units throughout 2023.

The second half of 2023 is kind of perfect for Apple as it is, as the company hosts its own WWDC 2023 event -- the Worldwide Developers Conference -- where the new iPhone, iPad, iOS, and other Apple products are typically unveiled -- but now we should expect the new MR headset to debut at WWDC 2023 if Ming-Chi Kuo's latest reports are true.

Another issue is that Apple will reportedly ship under 500,000 units of its new MR headset, down from the original shipment expectation of 800,000 to 1.2 million units. This isn't an issue either, as it will take Apple a couple of generations to gain traction in the market with a product that is completely new.