It has often been argued by analysts that Apple should become less dependent on the iPhone. Apple still gets half of its revenue from the iPhone, which is why the company is increasingly focusing on services. But Augmented Reality will also become important for the future. Kuo thinks that Apple can completely replace the iPhone with other devices such as AR glasses. In ten years, there will be demand for more than 1 million units, Kuo predicts. Apple's German supplier Unimicron will benefit greatly from this. Unimicron supplies, among other things, high-tech PCBs (electronic circuit boards) for the automotive industry.
The first AR headsets will probably still require an iPhone, but after that the AR glasses and – headsets increasingly self-sufficient so that it has its own ecosystem and user experience. Glasses that are presented as an accessory for the iPhone or Mac will not ensure real growth, Kuo thinks.
To make this switch from iPhone to AR possible, Apple will still have to change course. There are now 1 billion active iPhone users. It is not easy to have them all switch to AR glasses within ten years. In any case, in the near future, many praising words from Tim Cook will probably be heard, to make clear how important AR is for the company.
Kuo's statements can be found in a new note to investors, in which he also claims that the release of the AR headset is planned for 2022.