The Apple Vision Pro's defining feature is unfortunately how expensive it is. That's why we're very interested to see Mark Gurman of Bloomberg claim we may see a cheaper version by the end of 2025.
In the June 11 issue of his Power On newsletter, Gurman wrote he still believes an entry-level Apple headset may arrive in the next couple of years. Another analyst has previously suggested we could be waiting until 2026 for the new headset instead though, instead of Gurman's 2025 estimate.
Gurman says the final device will likely be named something like Apple Vision or Apple Vision One. This would show it's related to the current Apple Vision Pro, but not quite as fully featured.
Gurman goes on to say Apple could downgrade the Vision Pro's sensors, processors, built-in speakers and displays to cut costs, as well as remove other features to help get the cheaper headset to the right cost. The external EyeSight display (for showing the user's eyes when passthrough mode is enabled) and the tracking systems for the user's eyes and hands are likely to stay, Gurman argues, since they're core parts of the experience.
While Apple works on this, Gurman also claims that the team at Cupertino's already working on the second generation of Vision Pro, too. This model will supposedly have a processor upgrade, but Gurman mentions no other changes.
A headset for the rest of us
The Apple Vision Pro certainly looked impressive in Apple's demos at WWDC 2023, but at $3,500, it's a hard sell to anyone except dedicated AR fans or professionals. A cheaper headset, even if it'll need a linked iPhone to take care of processing as some rumors claim, could be just what's needed to tempt the majority of people into trying the world of Apple's so-called spatial computing.
If you're still trying to figure out if Apple's new headset is indeed the future, or just a very expensive toy, have a read of our Vision Pro hands-on to see what we thought of it. And perhaps follow it up with our thoughts on what this means for a post-iPhone Apple.
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