The upcoming Apple mixed-reality headset is in the final stages of production ahead of its WWDC unveiling, according to leaked information from the company's Chinese supply chain.
As reported in Economic Daily News, the headset is now in its "final sprint" of supply chain development as we draw closer to the expected June announcement, with shipping still in line to begin several months later.
Based on this latest report, we also could have a bit of new info regarding the device's lenses. Though Foxconn was thought to be excluded from the headset's production process, its subsidiary, GIS, is reported to be involved with the device's lens lamination.
It's said that the supplier's production line mobilization schedule is in line with the WWDC reveal, and, given that GIS has already publicly noted that it will be shipping mixed-reality devices in Q2 2023, this would add further credence to the latest chatter.
According to the Chinese outlet, the involvement of GIS also increases the likelihood of Foxconn participating in the second-gen version of Apple's headset, which has previously been rumored to be a cheaper device more palatable for the consumer market.
More Apple headset rumors
As far as Apple's mixed-reality headset rumors go, this latest one doesn't give us anything too groundbreaking. New information leaks out almost daily, though.
We've recently seen Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggest that the headset will feature an external battery pack (similar in size to the company's MagSafe Battery Pack, apparently) and a separate USB-C port for data transfer.
Another tidbit, this time shared by industry tipster Evan Blass, suggested that a source was "blown away" by the experience the headset delivers. The tester was also quoted by Blass as saying that progress has taken a giant leap in the last year.
With only around six weeks to go until WWDC, the rumors are becoming more detailed and more consistent, which suggests we will indeed see Apple unveil its first new major platform since the Apple Watch in 2015.
Between now and then, expect to see plenty more information emerge.
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Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.
Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides.
He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror.