Apple developing successor to Vision Pro, plans affordable model by end of 2025: Mark Gurman
Apple, after taking the tech industry by storm by unveiling its mixed reality headset, is reportedly working on a new version of the Vision Pro and aims to launch a more affordable model by the end of 2025, according to Mark Gurman.
Highlights
- The successor of Apple Vision Pro may be know as Apple Vision One or simply Apple Vision
- This new headset is intended to be affordable to appeal the masses
- The headset is expected to retain hand and eye tracking features
Apple is developing a more affordable iteration of the latest Vision Pro, aiming to broaden the accessibility of its groundbreaking technology. With the current version priced at a notable $3,500, significantly higher than its main competitor Meta Quest, Apple faces the challenge of achieving mass appeal as it’s priced way much more than its rivals.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, Apple is in the process of developing a follow-up to the Apple Vision Pro. This next-generation spatial computer is expected to incorporate augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) functionalities, similar to the recently announced mixed reality headset.
The device could be called Apple Vision One, or even a simple Apple Vision — given that the high-end model is called the Apple Vision Pro, he states in the newsletter.
Expected specs & features
The Apple Vision Pro is set to be released in the US next year at a whopping $3,499 (around Rs. 2,88,500), making it Apple's most expensive wearable device so far. A more affordable version of the headset is also anticipated, with Mark Gurman mentioning that it will be priced a few hundred dollars lower than the first-generation model, but without specifying an exact price point.
To reduce the cost of the headset, Mark Gurman speculates that the cheaper model might accommodate a less powerful chipset, fewer cameras, and sensors, and may depend on AirPods for spatial audio instead of built-in headphones.
Additionally, he suggests that the screens on the more affordable version could have lower quality and resolution compared to the recently announced device, which boasts displays with resolutions higher than 4K for each eye.
While the Cupertino-based tech giant would like to cut on some features to lower the price of its exhibited mixed reality headset, Gurman suggests Apple is unlikely to ‘compromise’ in its ‘Eyesight’ the external display that shows the wearer’s eyes. The headset is also expected to retain hand and eye tracking features which were shown in the WWDC 2023 keynote event.
Gurman also suggests that Apple can lower the headset's price by applying design adjustments like simplifying the headband, removing the 3D camera, using a cheaper frame, and improving the production process. These changes could potentially reduce the cost by several hundred dollars.
However, since Apple hasn't released the full hardware specifications for the first-generation Vision Pro headset yet, it may take some time before details about its successor are disclosed.
