As massive as Apple is, it’s hard to believe the company only employed 3,000 employees for its upcoming AR headset, compared to Meta, which has about 15,000 people working on future product development, according to the latest report. This may explain some things regarding the direction the two giants are taking with this particular class of device.
Meta seems to have a slew of products in development at varying price points, which may explain why it requires more staff
After the Meta Quest Pro, which costs $1,500, Meta plans to expand the product line, for example by offering more affordable headsets, so that they can be purchased by more people. While there are trade-offs found in cheaper products, Meta’s upcoming Quest 3 is reportedly priced between $300 and $500, while Apple is likely aiming for a niche launch and therefore will likely cost much more. . Even Zuckerburg took a swipe at the company, saying Apple’s first AR headset would be expensive.
Meta also has five times more employees than Apple for a single product category because, according to Horace Dediu, the company is considering other devices, ranging from augmented reality glasses to dedicated software development. Apple could increase its workforce over time, as it would be heavily invested in augmented reality and mixed reality on several occasions.
Apple has around 3,000 employees working on its mixed reality headset, which is due out next year. Meta, on the other hand, has over 15,000 people working on multiple virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, and related software. AR/VR is now ~20,000 engineers.
— Horace Dediu (@asymco) November 1, 2022
Following the unveiling of the first AR headset, Apple will proceed to launch its successor, along with a cheaper variant, followed by a pair of smart glasses, totaling three head-mounted wearables. Since the Californian giant is known to charge much more than its competitors, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that it will cost the customer between $2,000 and $2,500 per headset. He also states that it is perhaps the most revolutionary product after the first iPhone.
At the earliest, Apple’s first AR headset is expected to launch in January 2023, and if there’s some delay, we expect it to materialize in the first quarter of next year.
News source: Horace Dediu
