Apple’s Next Star Product Category

Over the past two years, Apple has entered two new product categories: the smart tracker category with AirTag, and the over-ear headphones market with AirPods Max. However, Apple is just getting started as those aren’t the star products.

Meta (Facebook) currently dominates the mixed reality headset market with its now discontinued Oculus products. However, Meta’s products aren’t trusted by some due to the company’s business practices. But, next year, Apple will effectively take the lead in the market with the Apple mixed reality headset (Apple View).

This device will bring more innovative and seamless technology to the market and will lay the groundwork for the Apple Glasses coming in 2023, which will be the next star product for Apple – and within 10-20 years will be the flagship product for Apple, possibly overtaking the iPhone.

The situation is very much similar to how Apple killed the iPod with the iPhone marketing the iPhone as “the best iPod ever,” which convinced customers if they wanted the best iPod, to buy the iPhone – and it effectively won.

One day, Apple could take a similar approach with the Apple Glasses and promote that “it has an iPhone built-in.” This will encourage folks to order the glasses instead of the iPhone, but it won’t work this time around because the first version of the Apple mixed reality headset and the Apple Glasses will require an iPhone the same way the Apple Watch does.

Eventually, the glasses won’t require an iPhone.

The Apple Glasses will be on a one-year cycle, just like Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad releases. It will most likely be released in September alongside those products.

The mixed reality headset will have a one- to two-year cycle around “18 months” as it will be the premium version of the Apple Glasses and cost more than the glasses. Apple says they only expect to sell one or two of the mixed reality headsets per Apple Store in 2022.

With these product categories getting larger for the company, that would point to longer product keynotes in the future and another restructuring of company events that hasn’t happened for more than a decade.

The mixed reality headset will gain a lot of attention next year. Regarding the competition, it will likely send them back to the drawing board just like the iPod, iPhone, MacBook Air, iPad, and Apple Watch did. The mixed reality headset’s design isn’t expected to be bulky and will come in different color options similar to the iMac and iPad Air.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]