'I want it released this year': Tim Cook pushes ahead with Apple VR headset

Apple Inc. may unveil their first-ever virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headset this year, according to new reports. Apple has allegedly been working on this project for over seven years, and the company is expected to unveil the results of its research and development at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this summer. Image credit: MacRumors There have been numerous leaks and reports on Apple's plans for a VR/AR headset over the years. However, the company's industrial design team has been internally calling for Apple to wait until the technology is ready for lighter, thinner headsets that can match the technology's vision. Two anonymous Financial Times sources suggest that it was only the departure of design icon Jony Ive and a restructuring within the company that made this decision possible.

According to the Financial Times report, Apple's operations team led by Jeff Williams voiced support for launching a "ski goggle-like headset" for avatar video calling, immersive 3D video, and interactive workouts. However, members of the design team disagreed and wanted to wait until lightweight AR glasses became technically feasible. But it was Cook who decided to launch the headset this year, siding with Williams and overruling the objections of the design team.

The Financial Times report frames this as an operations versus design group divide. Apple's operations team wanted to ship a "version one" product, a bulky and expensive ski goggle-like headset that will allow users to watch immersive 3D video, perform interactive workouts or chat with realistic avatars through a revamped FaceTime. The device is believed to be relatively bulky and have short battery life, able to last about two hours per session. Apple expects to sell about a million units in the first year, and the device will be priced at around $3000. Image credit: AppleInsider The first-generation headset is expected to be expensive due to the state-of-the-art technology being included, such as dual 4K OLED displays and advanced eye-and-hand-tracking sensors. The company believes that this device will have limited appeal to consumers, and the idea is to iterate and improve over time. The choice of timing is critical, as Cook and Williams believe that it makes sense to enter the market now, even if the first-generation headset will be bulky and expensive.

The headset launch will no doubt reflect on Tim Cook's legacy. Cook, who succeeded Steve Jobs as Apple's CEO in 2011, is considered a skilled executive who has grown Apple's revenue with a steady hand. Apple's market capitalization has risen from about $350 billion in 2011 to about $2.4 trillion today. But unlike Steve Jobs, Cook is not known for big, disruptive innovations. The headset could change that narrative and become Apple's first "next-generation" product of the Cook era. Some inside Apple reportedly believe that a headset could one day replace the iPhone. Image credit: Macworld In conclusion, Apple's first VR/AR headset is expected to be launched this year. The company has been working on this project for over seven years, and the device is believed to be bulky and expensive, with a short battery life of about two hours per session. The device will be priced at around $3000 and is expected to have limited appeal to consumers. However, Cook and Williams believe that it makes sense to enter the market now, even if the first-generation headset will be bulky and expensive. This launch will no doubt reflect on Tim Cook's legacy, and the headset could become Apple's first "next-generation" product of the Cook era.

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