🕶 Not ready

Apple's mixed reality headset probably isn't dropping soon

March 31, 2023

IN THIS ISSUE 🕶 Apple's long-awaited headset may not be ready after all 🎮 Vampire Survivors bags top prize at Bafta Games Awards 🚗 Toyota launches first Lexus available only as an electric EV 🚀 How to watch NASA's moon astronaut announcement

UP FIRST Apple's long-awaited headset may not show at WWDC after all The tech giant could delay the unveiling by several months The will-it-won't-it saga continues regarding the highly-aniticipated unveiling of Apple's mixed-reality headset.   The expectation had been that the tech giant was all set to show it off at its WWDC event in June, but that now seems to be in doubt.   Why? Well, according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, "Apple isn't very optimistic about the AR/MR headset announcement recreating the astounding 'iPhone moment,'" apparently prompting the company to push back mass production of the device by another couple of months.   Apple's concerns about customer response to its first-ever mixed-reality headset are linked to the economic downturn, compromises on some hardware specifications for mass production, the readiness of the headset's ecosystem and applications, and its rumored high price tag of around $3,000, the analyst said.   Kuo's assessment, shared on Thursday, comes just days after a New York Times report suggested that some of Apple's current and former employees linked to the project have doubts about the headset's potential for success. Read more

ELECTRIC CARS Toyota launches all-electric Lexus EV The auto giant is playing catchup in the all-electric sector Toyota on Thursday launched its first Lexus available only as an all-electric vehicle.   The RZ is available in the U.S., Europe, China, and Toyota's home market of Japan, initially targeting around 32,000 annual sales globally.   The launch of the RZ, which starts at $60,000, sets Toyota on course to electrify all models of its premium brand by 2035, the automaker said.   Toyota's Lexus RZ has the same chassis as its first mass-produced EV, the bZ4X, and follows the 2020 launch of the fully electric Lexus UX300e, a variant of the gasoline-powered model.   The new SUV offers a range of "220 miles with 18-inch wheels and a downright unfortunate 196 miles with the flashier 20s," according to InsideEV, which adds, "Compared to the similarly priced Cadillac Lyriq and Genesis GV60, the Lexus simply can't keep up, either in charging speed or in long-legged driving range."   On the positive side, the same report comments that the RZ "really is an enjoyable electric crossover ... because it does an excellent job of blending traditional Lexus comfort with the torquey nature of an electric car." Read more

GAME AWARDS Vampire Survivors bags top prize at Bafta Games Awards God of War Ragnarok also had a good night at the U.K. event It may be game over for E3 2023, but across the pond on Thursday night, all the attention was on the U.K.'s Bafta Games Awards.   While God of War Ragnarok dominated the night by winning six out of its 14 nominations (including the public's choice), the award for best game went to mini-action effort Vampire Survivors.   The development team of the $5 game insisted they hadn't expected to win, calling the outcome an "insane, wild ride," the BBC reported.   Cat simulator Stray failed to pick up any awards despite arriving with a promising eight nominations, while dark fantasy epic Elden Ring collected two prizes.   The Bafta Games Awards came on the same day that the organizers of E3, the world's top event for computer and video games, announced it had canceled this year's bash – originally scheduled to kick off in Los Angeles on June 13 – because it had failed to garner the necessary interest.   Doubts about the show surfaced in recent weeks when major game publishers such as Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Ubisoft announced they would not be attending and would instead reveal new titles at their own events. Read more

ON THE HORIZON How to watch NASA's big moon astronaut announcement The space agency will reveal the lucky crewmembers on Monday There's an exciting event happening on Monday as NASA is set to unveil the four astronauts who will travel to the moon as part of the Artemis II mission, scheduled for November next year.   The 10-day mission will send the crew to within 80 miles of the lunar surface, and then out to a point further from Earth than any human has traveled before.   NASA will name the four lucky astronauts at a special event at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on Monday, April 3.   A live stream will be available on NASA's YouTube channel from 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT/8 a.m. PT).   A successful Artemis II flight will pave the way for an even more extraordinary adventure in 2025 that will put the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface.   In the long term, NASA plans to build a permanent moon base where astronauts will be able to live and work. The base could also be used to launch the first crewed mission to Mars sometime in the 2030s. Read more

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