The Apple Reality Pro headset could be cheaper than expected

As I'm writing this, we are just about T-minus-four hours from the opening of the WWDC 2023 keynote. The event, which is hosted every year by Apple, is expected to show off a host of new software and hardware offerings.

If you're happy to believe all of the rumours that have been circulating this year, there's a lot to show off, too. We're expecting to see the usual software updates, getting a first look at iOS 17, MacOS 14 and WatchOS 10. There's also expected to be new products, like a 15-inch MacBook Air.

But arguably the most highly-anticipated release is the Apple Reality Pro headset. That looks set to take the VR headset world by storm, with many hoping Apple can deliver an iPhone moment for the sector.

Very little information has been revealed about the device. But one thing which is almost universally agreed is the price – the Reality Pro headset is said to cost around $3,000. And, lets face it, that is ludicrously expensive. It's around double the current most expensive model we've tested here, and around ten times more costly than the kind of devices most users are familiar with.

But what if it doesn't cost that much at all? That's something rumoured by the blogger yeux1122 on the Korean site, Naver. Details shared there suggest a starting price of $1,999 – a full 33% cheaper than the rumoured retail price that has become widely accepted.

Take that with a pinch of salt for now. The information has no given source, and this particular blogger has a chequered history for leaks. Even the image used – which shows the top of a headset branded Apple XR – seems to be out of line with what we've seen from other sources.

But it's not completely out of the realms of possibility. Famously, when the first iPad was launched many moons ago, Steve Jobs played into the rumoured pricing as part of the launch. There, the iPad was expected to launch at $999, but actually started from $499.

I'm not suggesting that the new headset will launch at $1,499, but I could definitely see Tim Cook paying homage to Jobs' style if it has a lower price tag. There's not long left to wait either – check out our guide on how to watch WWDC for more information about tonight's event.