Apple Stock News: AR/VR Headset Announcement
Apple Stock News: Apple may unveil its AR/VR headset at the Worldwide Developers Conference, and this could be a crucial step in convincing investors that the device will sell. However, there is skepticism about the usefulness and price of the headset, with some questioning whether it is a “solution in search of a problem.” Despite this, Apple CEO Tim Cook remains confident and says that the company is not interested in using other companies’ technology.
The AR/VR headset is rumored to have advanced features, including 4K micro-OLED displays and dozens of cameras. While there were concerns that the device’s release might be delayed, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that Apple still plans to announce the device during the WWDC 2023 keynote. A full rundown of what we know about Apple’s plans for the headset can be found in our roundup.
From China to India
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple will be diversifying its supply chain away from China by shipping the iPhone 15 models from India upon the device’s launch. Local suppliers such as Jabil are already making casings for the iPhone 15 in India. However, the iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max will continue to be made exclusively in China. Apple has previously experienced quality control issues with some Indian suppliers, limiting manufacturers to certain models and color options. With the iPhone 15 lineup, Apple expects to ship new devices from both countries simultaneously for the first time.
Teens Continue to Love iPhone But Aren’t Sure About AR/VR Headsets
According to MacRumors, Apple’s iPhone remains the most popular smartphone among US teens, with 87% owning one and 88% planning to buy another. The number of teens owning iPhones has doubled in the past decade. Meanwhile, 35% of teens own an Apple Watch, and 15% plan to buy one in the next six months. Apple Pay is the most commonly used payment app for purchases, with 39% of teens reporting using it, but peer-to-peer money transfers are mostly conducted through Square’s Cash App and PayPal’s Venmo.
Spotify is the most popular music platform among teens, with 68.1% using it in the past six months. Just 36.4% used Apple Music, and 44.3% said they were subscribed to Spotify, compared to 31.5% for Apple Music. Only 29% of teens own a VR headset, with just 14% using it weekly and 4% daily. While 7% of those surveyed expressed an interest in buying one, 61% had no plans to purchase.
The survey of 5,690 US teens aged 16.2 years found that just 7% planned to purchase Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset, while 52% were “unsure or uninterested.” Piper Sandler has been conducting biannual surveys of US teens for more than a decade.
Road to Carbon Neutral Supply Chain
Apple has announced that 250 of its suppliers have committed to using renewable energy for all Apple production by 2030, with support for over 13 gigawatts of renewable electricity. The company is aiming to be carbon neutral for every product it makes by 2030 and has allocated $4.7 billion in Green Bonds to finance clean energy solutions and emissions reductions. CEO Tim Cook said that Apple is determined to address climate change and is adding more renewable energy to power its global supply chain.
