Tim Cook says “stay tuned” for Apple’s AR’s headset

Tim Cook teased Apple’s rumored AR/VR headset during an interview with a Chinese state-affiliated media on June 14.

He expressed his excitement about AR and the opportunities in this space.

Tim Cook is excited about AR

In an interview with China Daily USA, the reporter questioned Apple’s CEO about the poor state of current AR/VR headsets. “I am incredibly excited about AR as you may know, and the critical thing in any technology, including AR, is putting humanity at the center of it. That is what we focus on every day,” Cook said.

He notes over 14,000 ARKit apps in the App Store provide “AR experiences for millions of people around the world.” But augmented reality is still in a nascent stage, and there are a lot of opportunities in this space that excite Cook.

The CEO then teases Apple’s AR headset and says, “..and sort of stay tuned and you’ll see what we have to offer.”

Could Apple demo its AR headset in September?

Rumors suggested Apple would demo “realityOS” at its yearly developer conference. But the headset and the operating system were a no-show at the event. Nonetheless, multiple analysts believe the Cupertino giant’s mixed reality headset could debut later this year or in early 2023.

Internal iOS 16 builds also contain plenty of references to the headset’s OS. Apple’s board of directors has also reportedly seen the AR/VR headset. Reportedly, Apple has even asked producer Jon Favreau to turn his Prehistoric Planet docuseries into augmented reality or virtual reality. These signs point to the product slowly but steadily inching closer to its release.

Apple could very well give a glimpse at its AR/VR headset during its September iPhone 14 launch event. The company has done something similar for significant product unveilings in the past. It could then hold a full-fledged media event in January 2023 to highlight the headset’s key details, as rumored.