Apple's new VR/AR headset will almost certainly be the star of WWDC 2023. But if you want to try it out for yourself, you may have to wait. In fact, you may have to wait a long time.

9to5Mac suggests that you may need an Apple Store appointment to try out the new headset, which may be called the Apple Reality Pro. This is based on reports that Apple Stores will only sell one unit per day (per store) and speculation that the Apple VR/AR headset will be treated like the gold Apple Watch Edition thanks to its $3,000 price tag.

Make no mistake, this is entirely speculative, but there is reason to believe that 9to5Mac's claim has some validity. As noted above, the Apple Watch Edition required a one-hour appointment to try on the niche wearable. And while the Apple Watch Edition's $10,000+ price tag is certainly a tier beyond the $3,000 we expect from Apple headsets, it would not be shocking to see the headset treated as a similarly niche product.

Especially if recent sales projections are to be believed. Recent reports suggest that Apple's VR/AR headset may only sell 300,000 units in its first year. In other words, the Reality Pro is not expected to fly off the shelves, and Apple may not make it a showpiece on retail showroom floors. Furthermore, given the novelty of the product, it may be wiser to let users experience it with trained staff than to frustrate them by trying it out alone.

A secluded or private appointment space, one that reduces the number of appointments per day, also makes sense. This way, the hustle and bustle of the retail store during the day can be reduced and the intimate experience of using the headset can be protected.

All of this means that as natural curiosity surges, appointments will become harder to get. The more difficult it becomes to get an appointment to try on a piece, the more people may feel compelled to try it on themselves (and possibly buy it).

In any case, until the headsets are officially announced, it is impossible to say when appointments can begin. And it looks like we will have to wait until the fall when the headsets will finally be available. Stay tuned for further updates.

Speaking of speculation, we still don't know what Apple's mixed reality headset will actually look like. However, thanks to two renderings, we do have some points of reference.

First, there is a stylish rendering by Marcus Kane, released in early May 2023. This visual depicts a sleek, ski Google-like headset connected to an external battery pack in a leather carrying case.

According to press reports, Apple is ditching the internal battery for comfort and pivoting to an external solution, and Kane's rendering makes that possibility look aesthetically pleasing.

And just a few days ago, the YouTube channel Concept Central released a video rendering of a new headset in collaboration with AppleTrack. This rendering looks a little different, but shows many of the same core features. There is no battery pack, but there is a charging port. There is also a Reality Dial that is rumored to allow users to switch between virtual and augmented reality modes.

Thankfully, there are only a few days left until we can get a first look at what Apple's first virtual reality headset will look like. Personally, I just hope the rumors of a front display that shows our eyes are not true. But to know for sure, we'll have to keep an eye out for WWDC coverage.