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Apple’s Vision Pro headset just made a big splash in the tech world, but Apple is already planning to follow it up with two new models that could take the headset to new heights — and make it more accessible to more people. Can be delivered into hands. This includes the second-generation Apple Vision Pro, as well as a lower-priced headset with a lower price tag.
What should we really expect from these devices? What kind of features will they offer and when will they launch? If you’re looking for answers to all those questions and more, you’re in the right place, because our rumor roundup will tell you everything you need to know. let’s get started.
Vision Pro 2: price and release date
Since the first-generation Apple Vision Pro has just been announced (and it won’t launch until 2024), it’ll be a while before the next generation launches. According to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Vision Pro 2 is likely to be unveiled in 2025. This is the date that journalist Mark Gurman has also claimed Apple is aiming for.
Kuo says the second-generation headset will come in two flavors: a high-end successor to the original Vision Pro, and a scaled-back version with a cheaper price (which we’ll get to later in this article). If so, then it is likely that both models will be revealed at the same time.
As far as price is concerned, we’re expecting the Apple Vision Pro 2 to cost around the same price as the $3,499 Vision Pro. While some components will likely become cheaper, Apple will want to increase the performance and feature set of the device. So don’t expect much movement here.
Vision Pro 2: what will it be called?
The name Vision Pro was a surprise to many Apple followers, as rumors had been circulating for months that Apple would call it Reality Pro. Indications now are that Apple’s next-generation headsets will follow this Vision naming system and instead use the Reality moniker.
We’re calling the second-generation model the Apple Vision Pro 2 for simplicity’s sake, but Apple may decide to call it the Vision Pro (second generation) or simply keep the Vision Pro name and not separate it from the model number. . It takes one of these two approaches for almost every hardware product except the iPhone.
The cheaper headset was previously rumored to be called the Reality One, so we may see Apple call it the Vision One or simply Apple Vision instead. The fact that the high-end headset is called Vision Pro means there’s going to be a non-Pro version, which lends importance to the laid-back Apple Vision naming idea.
Vision Pro 2: Features
Rumors about the Vision Pro 2’s features are a little thin on the ground at the moment, but there are some murmurs. For one thing, according to journalist Mark Gurman, it’s expected to come with a faster processor – possibly either Apple’s M3 or M4 chip. That’s because the current model “isn’t powerful enough to output graphics at Apple’s ideal level,” says Gurman.
Meanwhile, Kuo believes that “the cost of the second-generation pancake lens [inside the headset] It is likely to be enhanced to improve the visual experience and form factor design.” So, expect more visual fidelity and perhaps a new design.
Elsewhere, Kuo also thinks the headset may get an extensive redesign for its second-generation model, which will feature a lighter chassis with a refreshed industrial design, a faster processor, and a new battery system.
Finally, there are rumors that the first Vision Pro headset is heavy and may cause discomfort when used for too long. It looks like Apple may have found a solution to this, as a new patent has surfaced that shows the company is looking to add a “balancing mass” to the device. This will shift the weight of the headset in the opposite direction that your head goes, with the idea being that it helps reduce the neck strain you might otherwise feel. However, it is uncertain whether this patent applies to the first Vision Pro or the second generation model.
What about cheaper headsets?
Reports indicate that the Vision Pro’s price is at or close to the production cost, so if Apple is going to make a cheaper headset, it will have to make a number of cutbacks to keep the price down. If it is successful, Gurman believes Apple could cut the price of the Vision Pro by “several hundred dollars.”
Earlier, the price of this cheap headset was rumored to be $1,500, but then the price of Vision Pro was believed to be $3,000. With a high price of $3,499, a low-cost device could be $2,000 or even $2,500. According to The Information (via 9to5Mac), Apple aims to keep its price at the same level as the iPhone. For reference, iPhone 14 prices currently range from $799 to $1,599.
Mark Gurman thinks the more affordable headset could be unveiled “by late 2025,” but it’s possible in 2026. Kuo also thinks 2025 is a possible launch date. As we previously reported, the Apple Vision and Vision Pro 2 headsets are expected to be revealed at the same time.
While the cheaper Apple Vision headset will still adopt the mixed-reality approach of the Vision Pro, it will cut down on a number of features to bring the price down. According to Mark Gurman, these may include:
- low quality display
- Using an iPhone or an older Mac chip
- less cameras
- A simple headband design without built-in speakers (AirPods can be used instead)
- Manual instead of automatic pupil adjustment
- 3D camera is being removed
- a cheap frame
Gurman also says that over time, the manufacturing process will become cheaper, and economies of scale will also help.
Information agrees that Apple may reduce display quality and processor performance, and use cheaper materials. The outlet also believes that Apple may remove the H2 chip that is used to reduce latency with paired AirPods.
All that said, Mark Gurman believes Apple will not compromise in some areas. It includes an outward-facing screen (named EyeSight by Apple) and eye- and hand-tracking capabilities.
But hold your horses – a new report in September 2023 indicates that Apple may indeed have abandoned the cheaper headset. According to Kuo, Apple may have finished development of a cheaper headset, and without this device, the analyst said Apple could be in trouble if it doesn’t lower the price of the main headset. Kuo didn’t give any reason why the lower-priced model might have been discontinued, but that’s not an encouraging sign.
What else is Apple working on?
There have long been rumors that Apple is developing a set of augmented reality (AR) glasses, which may include many of the features of the Vision Pro but in a much smaller package.
However, Mark Gurman reported in January 2023 that Apple had postponed the development of its AR glasses “indefinitely”. Gurman offered an update in May 2023, saying the glasses were at least four years away from launch, so you shouldn’t expect them any time soon. In fact, Kuo doesn’t think they’ll launch until 2026 or 2027.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is also experimenting with AR contact lenses that could launch sometime in the 2030s. However, this is far in the future, and like many experimental projects, Apple may ultimately decide not to pursue it further.
