Apple’s Imaginative and prescient Professional won’t launch till March 2024

When Apple launched its first augmented actuality headset, the Imaginative and prescient Professional, again in June 2023, the corporate stated the product would really be out there “early subsequent 12 months.”

Now, in keeping with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman (through 9to5Mac), it seems that “early subsequent 12 months” may really translate to “someday round” March 2024.

Whereas March can nonetheless technically be thought of early within the 12 months, it should most likely sound somewhat disappointing to these keen to purchase the $3,499 headset. Gurman says that the Imaginative and prescient Professional was initially slated for a January launch, but it surely’s nonetheless not fairly prepared, and is at the moment present process last testing.

The Imaginative and prescient Professional’s launch will probably be a really totally different affair from Apple’s typical product launches. The augmented actuality headset will first be out there solely within the U.S., and can solely be offered at Apple retail shops or on-line. In retail shops, Apple reportedly plans to have particular areas with demo models the place prospects will be capable of attempt the system out earlier than shopping for. The Imaginative and prescient Professional ought to turn into out there in different nations in late 2024.

There are indicators, nevertheless, that the event is shifting ahead and that the Imaginative and prescient Professional is near being prepared for prime time. A latest iOS replace allowed iPhone 15 customers to file spatial movies that may solely be considered on the Imaginative and prescient Professional, and a latest replace to Imaginative and prescient Professional’s personal working system, visionOS, gave us a peak into the onboarding course of for the system.

When the Imaginative and prescient Professional does turn into out there, it is perhaps onerous to get one. A Monetary Occasions report in July claimed that Apple drastically lower the manufacturing forecasts for Imaginative and prescient Professional because of the product’s complexity.