Recent reports from Asia suggest that Apple’s upcoming mixed-reality headset will have an estimated manufacturing cost of around $1,500 per unit. The cost breakdown reveals that the microOLED displays are the most expensive components, ranging from $280 to $320. The headset’s 14 camera modules follow closely behind with a cost of $160. The two chips, likely referring to the main M-series SoC and a dedicated image signal processor, are estimated to cost between $120 and $140. Assembly expenses are expected to be around $110 to $120. Overall, the bill of materials (BOM) is conservatively estimated at approximately $1,600, including shipping.
Multiple reports indicate that Apple plans to begin mass production of the headset in the third quarter of 2023, aiming to manufacture 400,000 to 500,000 units by the end of the year. It is speculated that the device may be named “Apple Reality Pro,” although this has not been officially confirmed.
Notably, the estimated BOM for Apple’s mixed-reality headset is approximately double that of the Meta Quest Pro headset. While the rumored retail price of the Apple headset is around $3,000, taking into account packaging, shipping, and marketing costs, the profit margin is expected to be smaller compared to other Apple products.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple initially considered selling the headset at a loss but has now opted to price it closer to its manufacturing cost. The development of this highly anticipated device is believed to have incurred costs of over $1 billion per year for Apple.
