This morning Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a major report to clients covering Apple’s second generation mixed reality headset, Apple Watch and AirPods and more.
On Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset
On the topic of mixed reality headsets, Kuo states that Apple has already begun planning for their second-generation AR/MR headset, and the shipment schedule will likely be in 2H24. Improvements for the second generation include the lighter weight, form factor design, battery system, and processor compared to the first generation which will go to mass production in late 4Q22. Kuo added that Apple has a clear long-term plan for headset products.
Luxshare-ICT will be the supplier for Apple’s second-generation AR/MR headset (the first generation is from Pegatron), which means 1) Luxshare-
ICT is the exclusive supplier in the initial stage at least, and 2) Apple’s second -generation AR/MR headset shipment will grow significantly.
Kuo believes that Apple’s headset is an MR product that supports bot AR and VR. This product can seamlessly switch between AR and VR to provide an innovative headset experience.
The first-generation headset will likely weigh 300–400g, and we believe that weight improvement will be a key selling point for the second generation.
Apple will design a new battery system optimized for headset devices in 2024–2026 at the earliest to reduce weight and improve mobility.
We believe that the first-generation headset product will remain the focus of new product development in 2022, and the second-generation headset product development will accelerate starting 2Q-3Q23.
In general, Luxshare ICT’s strategy in the Apple supply chain is to only ship high-volume products, so we believe the annual shipment for Apple’s second-generation AR/MR headset will reach 10 million units or more.
Kuo’s forecast for Apple’s AR/MR headset shipments is 2.5–3.5 million units in 2023 and 8–10 million units in 2024.
On iPhone SE: We expect Apple to release a new iPhone SE in 2023 with a larger display than the 1H22 SE’s 4.7-inch and 4GB of memory support (vs. 3GB in the 1H22 SE). We predict that Luxshare-ICT will be the supplier for the 2023 iPhone SE.
On Apple Watch: The new Apple Watch plan in 2H22 includes delivering Apple Watch 8, the new Apple Watch SE, and the extreme sports version. Luxshare-ICT will be the supplier for Apple Watch 8 and the extreme sports versions.
On AirPods: Kuo expects Apple to launch AirPods Pro 2 in 4Q22, and the main chip may be significantly upgraded. Luxshare-ICT will be the supplier for this product.
Originally published at https://www.patentlyapple.com.
