Apple's plans to release a mixed-reality or VR headset has been one of the more long-running subjects of speculation in tech over recent years. The headset has never public appeared or even really been confirmed in any way, but the leaks just keep on coming.

Now, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has pinned a release window on the headset, saying that its first variant could be out in mid-2022, before subsequent releases in the years to follow. That's really not too far away by tech standards, and suggests Apple is fairly well along in its development.

In Kuo's own words, "We predict that Apple's MR/AR product roadmap includes three phases: helmet type by 2022, glasses type by 2025, and contact lens type by 2030–2040. We foresee that the helmet product will provide AR and VR experiences, while glasses and contact lens types of products are more likely to focus on AR applications."

That gives a bit more context and confirms that Apple's plans are very much not around a pure VR headset - its ambition lies in the mixed space, with AR a major focus. That'll seemingly progress through increasingly light versions through the years.

At this stage, needless to say, a mixed-reality contact lens that you can just hop into an Apple Store to buy is pie-in-the-sky stuff, but there's nothing absurd about it being part of Apple's long-term plan for the project and its tech.