Apple’s mixed-reality headset will be an endorsement of the metaverse even though the company will likely never use the word “metaverse,” longtime Apple analyst Gene Munster says.
Gene Munster for Deepwater Asset Management:
While the metaverse won’t be as big of an investment opportunity as the internet was or AI will likely become, it will likely be as big of an opportunity as social or the cloud. The core question around the potential of the metaverse is simple: if you believe the smartphone will be the consumer computing device for the next thirty years, then there is no need for the metaverse. If you believe hardware advancements will give way to new experiences that consumers prefer over their phones, then the metaverse is the logical successor to the smartphone…
We think it’s likely that Apple previews its mixed reality headset sometime in 2023 with initial sales in 2024 at a starting price of ~$3k, targeted at developers. Based on conversations with people close to the topic, we believe Apple currently has an MR headset that is near ready for launch, but is considering waiting until 2024 or 2025 given the metaverse is still five-plus years away from gaining momentum. While showing the headset this year and launching it next year is a different product release approach for Apple, I believe it’s the right approach given the importance of getting developers engaged with the company’s new hardware.
One fun dynamic about Apple entering the headset space: it’s unlikely they will use the word “metaverse” in pitching the product to developers and ultimately consumers. Apple sees the wearable future as a combination of mixed and augmented reality, with less emphasis on the virtual reality opportunity.
MacDailyNews Take: Smartly, Apple isn’t interested in the “metaverse” – escaping reality – as much as they are interested in augmenting reality to help improve myriad experiences from work to play.
After all, Second Life is so 2003. – MacDailyNews, January 10, 2022
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