The news says that Apple's hybrid reality head display design is unique and complex, facing unprecedented production challenges

On June 1st, IT Home reported that Apple's hybrid reality headphone will be the most complex hardware product in the company's history, with its unique curved design posing unprecedented challenges to production. The headphone display is expected to be released on WWDC2023 on June 5th, with a price of approximately $3000 (IT Home note: currently approximately RMB 21240).

The headphone reportedly adopts an unconventional curved design, ultra-thin, and ultra-light, and several renderings seen in "The Information" show a curved glass with a smooth aluminum frame wrapped around the edge, which looks slightly thicker than the iPhone. Due to its thin appearance, users who need to wear glasses must purchase prescription lenses that can be magnetically absorbed onto the head display.

In order to adapt to the curved shell of the head display, Apple had to develop an innovative "curved motherboard". In order to enhance the structure without increasing weight, carbon fiber materials are used inside the head display. There is a small knob above the right eye that allows users to switch between augmented reality and virtual reality, and a power button above the left eye. A Circular connector similar to the AppleWatch charger is attached to the left mirror leg of the head display and connected to the battery pack worn at the waist through a cable.

The headband of the head display is mainly made of soft material and connected to two short and hard mirror legs, which also include left and right speakers. In order to improve the comfort of the wearer's face, a soft and detachable cover is also attached to the back of the head display.

It is reported that Apple has discussed whether to add more eye tracking cameras or further adjust electric lenses to adapt to more surface shapes. The Apple industrial design team clearly advocates for the front of the head display to be made of a thin curved glass, which requires hiding a dozen cameras and sensors for aesthetic reasons. But this has also raised some concerns, such as the glass distorting the images captured by the camera, which, if not corrected, may cause the wearer to feel nauseous; Moreover, due to the shape of the glass, it is more prone to breakage than the iPhone screen, which may cause fragmentation of the head display and harm users.

It is said that this design is the main reason for the retail price of the device reaching up to $3000. Due to its unique shape and densely arranged electronic components, it is difficult for assembly workers to operate and install components inside the device, and testing the glass casing and camera takes longer than other Apple devices. In addition, the microOLED display used in the head display is also very expensive, to the extent that Apple had to repair the defective units instead of simply discarding them. As a supplier of display screens, Sony may find it difficult to produce enough panels this year due to the size and pixel density of these screens, and it is expected that Apple can only ship less than 250000 head displays this year.

Apple also encountered difficulties in manufacturing prototype headsets due to their overly complex design. In the early stages of development, Apple was able to manufacture 100 headsets per day, but only 20 met the company's standards. In mid April, the headphone underwent design validation testing, and it is said that it has stayed at this stage for much longer than more mature products such as the iPhone. It is reported that Apple even made some very late design adjustments in April to make it easier to produce.

Although the headphone has not yet started mass production, it is said that its only manufacturer, Lixun Precision, has told workers that the factory that will manufacture the headphone must have all staff in place by July. The Information believes that this means that the headphone may be launched in the autumn or winter, with an expected shipment volume of less than 500000 units in its first year of launch.