Apple’s Senior VP Of Hardware Calls The AR Headset A ‘Science Project,’ Believes Resources Can Be Better Spent On iPhone Chips To Drive Revenue

The imminent AR headset launch from Apple may have elated a part of its workspace, but others continue to display skepticism towards the product, believing that resources could have been invested in the company’s biggest revenue generator, the iPhone. One key Apple executive is among those people and has labeled the headset as a ‘science project.’
Despite his opinion, Apple’s VP and team developed the M2 for the AR headset, the same SoC used in many MacBook models
In Mark Gurman’s weekly newsletter ‘Power On,’ the reporter discusses and names all the executives that helped materialize Apple’s AR headset. While there were mixed opinions regarding its launch, it is obvious that the technology giant would get left behind in this category if it did not act fast, so despite the executives’ reservations, we should see a preview of the product at next month’s WWDC keynote.
One of those executives is Johny Srouji, who is Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies. He and his team were responsible for creating the M1 and its successors, including the M2. As it so happens, the latter will be a part of the headset, according to a Bill of Materials leak that also states another chipset will be a part of the AR headset. However, he has voiced his thoughts concerning the head-mounted wearable and believes that resources allocated towards the iPhone’s chip development would have been a better decision, as it would have led to higher revenue.
“Srouji is Apple’s top chip executive, responsible for the M2 processor and other custom components inside the headset. Srouji has been skeptical of the endeavor, internally likening it to a science project. He argued that Apple’s resources would be better spent on new iPhone chips that could drive more revenue than the headset. In the end, Srouji’s team created some of its most advanced chips to date for the headset. But in one setback, Srouji’s group spent years developing a wireless chip for an abandoned feature that would connect the headset to a base station for extra power.”
One area of the AR headset that consumers might be apprehensive about is its pricing. Apple is rumored to sell the device at a jaw-dropping $3,000, making it more expensive than a decent-spec’d MacBook Pro. Some customers might believe that Apple’s other products might provide more utility over a mixed-reality headset, and that is exactly what the other executives are for; to make sure it sells. While the price of the first model might discourage others from purchasing it, Apple is heavily invested in this category for the long term and is rumored to launch a more affordable AR headset in 2025 .
Written by Omar Sohail