Apple finally took the wraps off its much-awaited mixed-reality headset in June.
The Vision Pro is sleek and stylish and packed with features, although the hefty $3,500 price tag will be prohibitive for many interested in the new device.
Another issue for anyone who spends the money on it when it goes on sale early next year may be comfort. According to a Bloomberg report on Sunday by prominent Apple leaker Mark Gurman, Apple’s Vision Pro headset “has caused neck strain in testing due to its size and weight.”
Its specific weight has not been revealed yet, but various reports suggest that Apple’s new Vision Pro headset weighs around 1 pound (453.6 grams).
Apple engineers are now said to be working on the next version of the Vision Pro, with a specific focus on making it lighter and smaller, making it more comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
“Work on the next Vision Pro is still underway, but the company is hoping to make the device lighter and at least a little smaller,” Gurman said in his report, adding that testing has shown it may feel too heavy for some users. Gurman claimed that Apple could also deal with this problem by adding an over-the-head strap with the first Vision Pro.
Apple engineers are also looking at ways to make the headset simpler for glasses wearers. Since the upcoming headset doesn’t have enough room for glasses, the tech giant has instead partnered with Zeiss to create prescription lenses that magnetically attach to the Vision Pro’s display.
Of course, it’s much simpler to create so many different lens combinations, so Apple is clearly considering shipping the custom-made Vision Pro with preinstalled prescription lenses. However, Gurman says this is far from a done deal as it would make it harder to resell the device and fail to take into account changes in people’s vision over time.
One suggested solution is augmented reality glasses that overlay information on the lenses. This will mark a shift away from virtual reality, but it has the potential to provide an altogether more comfortable experience that can still offer plenty of features.
Gurman believes Apple halted development work on its AR glasses last year because the technology wasn’t good enough, but he believes the company will return to the project at some point.