In a matter of hours, Apple is set to reveal an innovative product category with its upcoming mixed-reality headset. Anticipating this much-anticipated launch, Ming-Chi Kuo, a prominent supply chain analyst, has shared a revised forecast regarding the expected shipments for this year.
Although it is widely anticipated that Apple will provide a preview of its mixed reality headset at today’s event, the general consensus regarding its release date leans towards later this year or early next year.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known analyst who closely monitors supply chain movements, has been actively reporting on the headset’s details. However, he is now making adjustments to his previous prediction concerning the timeframe for mass shipments of the headset.
This report indicates a delay compared to the earlier prediction of mass shipments for the headset in the third quarter of 2023. Kuo further mentioned that investors are primarily concerned with whether the product announcement will persuade customers that Apple’s AR/MR headset is the next standout device in consumer electronics, rather than focusing solely on shipment numbers. In the event that the device does launch this year, Kuo believes that shipments are likely to be even lower than the current estimates.
Based on the analyst’s latest insights, it is now projected that Apple’s XR headset will not be shipped in large quantities until the latter part of the fourth quarter of this year, possibly in December. However, the forecast does not entirely dismiss the possibility of the launch missing the holiday quarter altogether.
近期與投資人討論2023 WWDC的重點：
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) June 4, 2023
1. 若Apple AR/MR頭戴裝置發布成功，將對3D交互設計與3D電腦圖像帶來巨大影響 (猶如ChatGPT對AI/AIGC)。
2. 長期而言，Apple AR/MR頭戴裝置的成功關鍵因素在於能否與AI/AIGC高度整合。
3. 投資人近期對Apple何時推出類似ChatGPT服務的關注度，高於Apple…
Initially, Kuo had anticipated mass shipments as early as the third quarter of this year. In the event that the headset does not ship within this year, he suggests that there is a likelihood of it being released in early 2024.
According to Morgan Stanley analysts, Apple’s mixed reality headset is expected to commence mass production in October and be launched by December, aligning with Kuo’s forecast. This timeframe strategically coincides with the holiday season. However, it’s worth noting that Apple’s supply chain reportedly plans to assemble a relatively limited quantity of 300,000 to 500,000 headsets throughout 2023.
Indeed, analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo often share their predictions to provide insights to investors regarding what they can anticipate. In this case, Kuo suggests that investors should not overly emphasize unit shipments but rather focus on how the product announcement influences consumer perception and attitude towards the headset.
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