Rumors have been proven that Apple is developing a mixed reality headset and it seems like the official announcement may come sometime in 2022.

The details come from the newsletter Power On by Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. He noted:

“Apple’s first headset will have a complex, expensive-to-build design, complete with interchangeable lenses. The company will likely need to work with governments globally on possible prescription lenses and partner with a bevy of manufacturers on complex technologies that neither side has shipped before.”

Gurman has also added that the Apple headset will have both AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) capabilities, which is where these interchangeable lenses could come into play. That means it could be used for immersive VR applications and mixed reality experiences where the digital elements interact with the real world in some way.

Mark Gurman expects the introduction of this headset to be a major announcement that could rival that of the original Apple Watch.

“Apple will want to have such a breakthrough new category in public view before exposing it to leak risks when it gets into the hands of more Apple employees and partners who will need to contribute to it before release.”

The Apple Watch was announced over 200 days before its official release. That means we could see a 2022 announcement followed by a 2023 product launch for the mixed reality headset.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked about augmented reality and mixed reality, claiming that they are critically important to the future of the company. It could even end up being the final new product released on his CEO position before retiring.

The timing of a launch in 2023 was suggested earlier this year by an Apple analyst according to who, it would run a Mac-level processor and would not need an iPhone to operate, not unlike the Oculus Quest 2.