The possible launch of Apple Reality Pro in September causes concern in the project environment. Sales estimates would have dropped drastically at the company.
The development of Apple VR glasses, known as Apple Reality Pro, would have been affected by Tim Cook’s lack of involvement, CEO of the company. The project, which has required an annual investment of more than 1,000 million dollars, has undergone significant changes and delays since the beginning of its development.
Tim Cook would be experimentingor difficulties gaining the trust of key executivesaccording to bloomberg reports. Team members would liken Cook’s relative lack of involvement to the obsessive, detail-oriented approach of his predecessor, Steve Jobs, who worked closely with chief design executive, Jony Ivewho abandoned the project.
Several senior officials, including Apple’s software chief, Craig Federighiand the hardware executive, Johnny Sroujithey have already stated concerns about Apple’s virtual reality glasses, They might feel that designing the high-performance chips it requires could divert focus from the new iPhone components that generate more revenue.
The device is expected to be unveiled in September, but there are questions about price and reception. Thus, the staff members expressed in The New York Times:”concerns about the roughly $3,000 price tag of the device, questions about its usefulness, and concerns about an untested market“.
Given these internal concernsthe real challenge for the success of the project lies in the response of consumers, and Apple has decided to place the starting price of the mixed reality headset at cost price. In addition, the company has revised downward its sales estimates, from 3 million units per year to 900,000.
Apple Reality Pro vs Augmented Reality Glasses
Former Apple executive Jony Ive, advocated a maximally portable approachwhile the team headed by Mike Rockwell he favored a device that relied on a base station about the size of a Mac mini. In the end, the spin-off has resulted in two different projects.
The autonomous VR glasses dreamed by Ive will take at least four years to arriveafter Apple decided to postpone the development of any major product in that area, according to Bloomberg reports.
