Apple Races Against Time: High-Stakes Launch of $3000 Mixed-Reality Headset Amid Intense Competition - Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

Apple Inc AAPL looks to launch its mixed-reality headset priced at $3,000 at its upcoming annual software conference in June.
Gaming users can experience their virtual worlds through the screen in the goggles but also simultaneously see the physical world around them thanks to outward-facing cameras, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Unlike other Apple products, the device is debuting in a still-experimental mode.
After seven years in development before hitting the market, Apple sees a slower headset adoption than the Apple Watch or iPhone.
Some Apple employees and suppliers tried to buy more time for the product, given the challenges of integrating the headset with new software, its production, and the broader market.
Apple offers the headset with a battery in a pack that fits in one hand and is separate from the goggles.
Executives and tech analysts find Apple's hasty launch in response to massive competition after committing immense capital and resources. There also has been growing skepticism over the prospects of the metaverse.
Facebook-owner Meta Platforms Inc META, Walt Disney Co DIS, and Microsoft Corp MSFT struggled in their metaverse endeavors.
Mass production of Apple's headset is not likely until September due to manufacturing delays. Shipment forecasts for 2023 are likely at 200,000 - 300,000 units, said Apple analyst Ming-chi Kuo—trailing the first-year production for the initial iPhone and Apple Watch generations.
The high price tag of the headset is triple Meta's most expensive Quest Pro headset, implying slim hardware margins for Apple.
Price Action: AAPL shares traded lower by 1.48% at $171.17 on the last check Friday.
Photo by Cristian Ferronato from Pixabay

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