If there’s one lingering rumor about Apple’s next AR headset, it’s the hefty price tag. Since we started hearing about it, reports have pegged the MSRP at $3,000 or more, which would make it one of the most expensive non-Mac devices in Apple’s history. However, a new report suggests that while it won’t be cheap, the actual price could be significantly lower than quoted.
As XRDailyNews reported, Apple’s headset will cost around $1,500 to make, which includes several high-end components that cost over $150 each. The total cost was corroborated by multiple sources in China’s supply chain, although the site notes that some terms “may not correspond directly to their conventional meanings.”
- Two M2 processors: $120-$140
- Two micro OLED screens: $280-$320
- 14 cameras: $160
- System and assembly of optical-mechanical lenses: $70-$80
- Mirror: $13-$15
- Pupillary distance adjustment module: $30-$35
- 3D sensor part: $80-$90
- Central metal frame: $95
- Appearance parts: $15-$20
- External battery: $22-$25
- Microphone: $21-$22
- Speakers: $16-$18
- PCB+FPC: $40-$45
- Storage: $40-$45
- Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/etc. : $60-$70
- Cooling module: $70
- Auxiliary accessories: $30-$40
Add it all up and you have a total of around $1,500. Of course, the BOM does not represent the total cost, which also includes production, shipping, distribution and other factors, but it shows that the AR headset will be a very high-end device. In comparison, the cost to manufacture the Meta Quest 2 would be around $750.
So let’s do a little math. The iPhone 14 Pro Max costs Apple around $475 to manufacture and retails for $1,100. Assuming a 40% gross margin, there’s about $185 in additional costs, which shouldn’t be much higher for the headset. But even if we add $250 per unit, that brings the total price to $1,750. If you factor in Apple’s 40% gross margins, that would bring the MSRP to around $3,000.
But a Bloomberg report this week claims that Apple may be selling the headset “at cost” and has even considered selling it at a loss to generate sales. That means the headset could go for as little as $1,999, which would practically seem like a bargain compared to the rumored $2,999 price tag.
We should know in a few weeks. The WWDC keynote kicks off on June 5, just two weeks away from Monday.
