Apple will launch its augmented reality headset in the second quarter of 2020, revealed a report from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo

2020 Launch

The report, which was released on Wednesday, claimed that the AR headset will enter mass production by the last quarter of this year in time for a 2020 launch.

MacRumors, which obtained the report, said that Apple will cooperate with third-party brands to launch the AR product. Chinese mobile phone producer Changying Precision is reported to be the main chassis supplier.

The report did not mention the price of the headset.

iPhone Accessory

The new Apple product will be sold as an accessory to the iPhone, which means it is expected to be slim and lightweight. The AR headset will primarily take a display role while offloading computing, networking, and positioning to the iPhone.

Kuo claimed in March that Apple would launch an AR product in 2020 that could be ready by the middle of next year, but the analyst now thinks that the launch of the product will happen in the second quarter of next year.

Reality Operating System

Apple's reality headset has been rumored for years. Bloomberg first reported that Apple was developing an AR headset in 2017 and was aiming to have the technology ready by 2019.

That report also claimed the product will launch as early as 2020, albeit it pointed out the development timeline could still change. The report likewise said that the headset would run on an iOS-based operating system dubbed "rOS" which stands for "reality operating system."

Apple CEO Tim Cook has said he considered AR less isolating compared with VR and as potentially revolutionary as the smartphone.

"We're already seeing things that will transform the way you work, play, connect and learn," he said. "Put simply, we believe AR is going to change the way we use technology forever."