Former Apple Engineer Who Worked On AR Headset Development Claims Company Is Under Huge Pressure To Ship The Product

What aspects of Apple’s AR headset did the former engineer work on?

Apple has made multiple acquisitions in the area of augmented reality (AR) in recent years that have had many tech enthusiasts making predictions of one day donning an AR headset made by the company. But the hopes of the AR headset being released anytime soon may be dashed according to a former Apple engineer who worked on the project, who recently made claim that the Cupertino-based tech giant is under “huge pressure” to ship the product.

The former Apple engineer, whose identity has not been disclosed, stated that the project began in 2017 and has seen “explosive” growth since, with hundreds of full-time employees and contractors now all dedicated towards the successful completion of the project, which is currently aimed for a 2021 launch. However, with the target launch date fast approaching, the engineer said that the pressure for the product to ship is taking its toll.

“The team is under huge pressure to ship, and the feeling from the top is to double-down, crunch and get the product out,” the engineer is quoted as saying. “The decisions are being made without rationality. This could go wrong in multiple ways, and it could be extremely embarrassing for Apple.”

The impending launch shared some similarities to the launch of the Apple Watch several years ago: a rushed and badly-executed launch which ended in disaster and embarrassment for the company. In the run-up to the launch, engineers had reportedly found flaws in the product which, when addressed with management, were dismissed and rushed through anyway.

It appears that Apple is making similar mistakes with the AR headset and that internal reports are highlighting the same issues of consistency and usability. Indeed, the engineer noted that the design of the product and the user interface had become so convoluted that the engineers were “[fighting] our own product to use it”.

It seems that Apple is in a race against time with the AR headset and, based on the feedback of the former engineer, Apple might not be on track to ship a product that actually meets their standards. Whether or not the company will be able to turn the launch around is a matter that only time can tell, but only then will the public truly understand the magnitude of the project.