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It seems that there is a change in the supply chain regarding the first generation Apple virtual reality headset: Pegatron will be succeeded by Luxshare ICT, according to TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Formally, for the passage of the “baton” the two companies would have established a joint venture, called Luxcaseict and led by Luxshare; Apple expects this to speed up the process of reducing the cost of the headset.
Luxcaseict’s profit will also be reflected in Pegatron, given that it owns stakes, but at the same time it means that the giant is gradually throwing in the towel on Apple’s VR/AR initiative. As for Luxshare, the investment is unlikely to bear fruit in the short term: initial shipments of the headset are expected to be very low, so it is possible that it will be manufactured at cost or at a loss. According to the source, it is a strategic move for Luxshare – partly to curry favor with Apple and accumulate orders for this and next year, partly in the hope of becoming the trusted supplier in a product line that is expected to grow and expand.
There second generation of viewers, Kuo always says, will consist of four models: two high-end and two low-end. The cheapest models will be made by Foxconn, the most prestigious ones right from Luxshare. Production is expected no earlier than 2025. Recall that Luxshare, which is Chinese, has been working for Apple for some time now – it’s a major maker of AirPods, and a minority maker of iPhones for a good couple of years. Pegatron, Taiwanese, is much bigger, and is a former division of ASUS; manufactures a variety of products for Apple, including iPhones and iPads.
Kuo notes that this “surrender” of Pegatron could be a warning sign for Apple: in essence, if the prospects for AR / VR were as promising as it suggests, it shouldn’t be so difficult to find production partners. Kuo observes that in the last two years Apple’s suppliers have preferred to invest in other new projects with different companies, even more daring and distant from their core business (for example electric vehicles)
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