Apple – in Bid to Fuel AR Landscape – Took $1 Billion Annual Hit to Develop Mixed-Reality Headset

A report shows the company has been aggressively spending with hopes for an iPhone-like revolution

Apple store in Chicago, IL
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Apple’s been spending more than $1 billion per year to fund its mixed reality headset project, pulling together a team 1,000 staffers to get the job done, according to Bloomberg.

As to what kind of mixed-reality headset can be expected from the iPhone makers, Bloomberg’s report as well as The Information’s paint the picture that the mysterious gadget will be similar to that of Microsoft’s HoloLens, a mixed-reality device targeted at specialized professional niches rather than average consumers due to its large cost.

Microsoft sells HoloLens 2, the device’s second iteration, for $3,500 per unit. It has applications in medical and engineering fields, though at one point the headset was also advertised to consumers by way of “Minecraft.”

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