After months of rumors and speculation, the new augmented reality and virtual reality headset from Apple has completed production tests, according to MacRumors.
The production tests were part of ongoing efforts to make sure the headset meets Apple’s design standards. The news comes from one of the component suppliers for the headset, and the device is expected to launch late this year. However, that timeline is hardly a consensus among industry experts. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, for example, doubts it will happen, citing issues with the design process.
However, since the headset has completed its second round of tests, it is on track for a very similar timeline as the Apple Watch when it was first being produced. That’s a good sign for anyone eagerly waiting for the release of this product.
Apple has more than just design issues to face, though. COVID-19 and its effects on the global supply chain are still being felt in nearly every sector, especially the tech industry. However, there are signs that things are improving on that front.
All of that being said, you can reasonably expect the Apple headset sometime between 2022 and mid-2023, if all goes well.
Apple’s mixed reality headset is expected to be expensive at $3,000. But Apple is expected to deliver a super lightweight headset, an 8K display, and the awesome power of Apple’s silicon, among other things. The headset is expected to run on “realityOS,” based on rumors and Apple’s naming conventions.
Apple is expected to announce a slew of devices this year, with up to seven new Macs on the horizon. On top of that, there may be a new iPad Pro, and of course, the iPhone 14.
Apple’s push into AR/VR is indicative of the industry at large’s shift toward the new technology. VR has been growing in the video game industry for some time, but it’s only just now becoming more mainstream. With pushes from other tech giants like Meta toward virtual experiences, AR/VR devices will become more mainstream over the next several years.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.