Apple gives executives a sneak peek of its mixed reality headset ahead of launch

Apple recently held a demo presentation of its alleged Reality Pro headset for the company's top 100 executives, ahead of the expected official announcement at WWDC in June. 

That's according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, at least, who notes in their latest Power On newsletter that the company event - held just last week in the Steve Jobs Theater - was designed to rally support around the upcoming platform. 

Some senior Apple executives have seemingly been given a preview of the headset every year since 2018, though this latest peek was apparently much more "polished, glitzy and exciting".

Despite the initial project seemingly close to completion, however, not everything surrounding Apple's headset is rosy. 

We've consistently questioned why Apple would launch a headset, given the lack of any obvious use case or consumer enthusiasm. And it's something Gurman also points to in his latest newsletter.

"The device will start at around $3,000, lack a clear killer app, require an external battery that will need to be replaced every couple of hours and use a design that some testers have deemed uncomfortable. It's also likely to launch with limited media content."

It's why Apple is reportedly "striking a realistic tone within the company" and acknowledging that the device - one which rumors indicate will be called 'Apple Reality Pro' - won't be a hit right out of the gate. 

The first version of the headset, Gurman indicates, "will look like a dud next to the company's existing products," but is still "likely to make Apple the market leader in mixed reality within a few months."

With a ramp-up in recent reports - and particularly launch-focused rumors like this internal headset preview - there appears to be no doubt remaining over whether a headset will arrive in 2023, despite years of similar hype and promise. 

How it's received, though, is still very much in doubt. Stay tuned for more over the coming weeks.