Rumors: AR Headset from Apple May Launch in 2022, AR Could Take iPhone’s Place in Just a Decade

2022 may be the historic year when Apple's 2-processor AR headset arrives to transform the market, as reported by well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The gadget is expected to support both Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR & VR) and may boast micro-OLED displays. The great progress in AR tech made by Apple on the iPhone and iPad, is exemplified specifically by the addition of LiDAR technology on the iPhone 12 Pro. There’s been several months’ worth of rumors on the company’s wearable AR devices, and the expert believes that Apple may be getting rid of iPhones altogether within the next ten years.

Apple is yet to announce its 2022 plans for AR or VR headsets, however, experts predict that the company could present a powerful AR headset in Q4 2022. It may be equipped with a processor that is similar to those on Macs and may potentially function independently of a computer or a smartphone, running a range of apps.

The anticipated AR headset may even be using two chips, one that is as powerful as a   2021 M1 Mac, and a second, less powerful one for managing headset sensors. It may also feature VR support and two Sony 4K micro-OLED displays.

Apple may market the headset independently of Macs and iPhones in order to provide it with its own ecosystem. Another interesting fact is that the AR headset may require more computing power than the iPhone: six to eight optical modules vs the three modules needed for an iPhone to function. The reason behind this requirement is the continuous see-through AR services needed by the headset.

In just ten years, Apple may be replacing the iPhone with AR devices, starting with the headset.

In fact, Kuo states that the demand for Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF) of AR headsets may be slated to exceed one billion pieces in a decade – which is the number that would drive the iPhones out of the market within a decade.