Cheaper Apple Vision Headset Likely to Launch by End of 2025

[MacRumors]

Apple still plans to launch a more affordable version of its Vision Pro headset by the end of 2025, with the non-Pro model likely to be called "Apple Vision One," or more simply, "Apple Vision," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reiterated his understanding that Apple is working on a cheaper version of its headset, signaling that it is pursuing a two-product strategy, like it does by offering a standard iPhone and iPhone Pro.

Since the Vision Pro's $3,499 price is thought to be at or near the cost to make it, Gurman speculates that Apple could replace the twin 4K microLED displays and M2 Apple silicon chip with cheaper alternative components, and use fewer cameras.

The company could also go with a simpler headband design with no integrated speakers, requiring wearers to use AirPods for spatial audio instead. However, there are a few things Gurman believes Apple will not compromise on:

"The external screen, known as EyeSight, to show a wearer's eyes, as well as the eye- and hand-tracking system, are as core to the Apple Vision as a touchscreen is to an iPhone. I would expect a cheaper model to keep those features."

Speculating on headset rumors before Apple unveiled Vision Pro, some commentators suggested it would make no sense to add the financial cost of an outward-facing display to the already expensive device and sap its battery life even quicker, but Apple clearly regards the EyeSight feature as a key differentiator from enclosed AR/VR headsets, and the one that allows users to feel like they remain in touch with other people.

Achieving cheaper material costs in other areas, combined with a more streamlined production process, could allow Apple to reduce the price of the headset by several hundred dollars, according to Gurman.

Apple's plan to release a cheaper version of its "spatial computing" headset was first reported in January by The Information and Bloomberg. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also reported Apple's intention to have a two-tiered headset category lineup by the end of 2025.

Article Link: Cheaper Apple Vision Headset Likely to Launch by End of 2025

 

[boss.king]

I already have very little faith in Apple's naming ability, but if they call the lesser headset Apple Vision One instead of just Apple Vision then someone over there needs to lose their job.

 

[amaze1499]

The more often I see the picture with those artificial eyes, knowing there is just a monitor, the more creepy it becomes.

Surrogates just became reality.

 

[currocj]

Several hundreds less? What are we talking here? $2500? $2000? $1500? All those still seem out of reach for most

 

[lanomds1]

Apple Vision One sounds really bad. I miss when Apple was minimalist when choosing names. Apple vision is way better.

 

[ipedro]

I don’t believe that Apple would compromise on image quality or head and hand tracking accuracy. What they announced is the baseline going forward. The illusion depends on accurate head tracking, anchoring and replicating reality outside the headset with no perceptible pixels.

When has Apple gone back on specs on the iPhone, Mac, iPad, Watch etc? Cheap iPhones have Retina displays. They simply use the previous year's chips, screens, cameras etc. 2025's VisionPro will use an M3 or M4 while the Apple Vision entry tier would continue using the M2 – at that point, over 2 years old and mass produced for Macs, iPads and probably even iPhones. It'll be cheap silicon.

I can imagine dropping the audio pods (bring your own AirPods) and making adjustments manual like Mark mentioned. Unlike what Gurman thinks, EyeSight might be sacrificed. While preventing isolation is a part of their philosophy, price minded people will be fine without it. It's an expensive non essential component.

Apple is making a big bet on 3D content made for Apple Vision becoming ubiquitous. They'll double down on it. Not only is it staying as a part of any Apple Vision tier, I believe we'll see 3D cameras on every iPhone and iPad going forward to help build that desire to experience your library on an Apple Vision and drive sales and adoption.

While the Vision Pro will be released in Q1 23, they'll reset to a September update schedule like they did with the 2nd gen iPhone, giving them almost 2 years to update it, after which point, the Vision Pro's components will have been more commoditized. "Cheaper" will probably still mean in the high thousand plus, probably $1,999.

 

[czoli]

they jumped the shark here ...

 

[walkin]

Gurman speculates that Apple could replace the twin 4K microLED displays

My understanding was that the screens in this monstrosity of a device were OLED.

 

[Bustycat]

My understanding was that the screens in this monstrosity of a device were OLED.

So many people confuse micro-OLED with microLED.

 

[boss.king]

So many people confuse micro-OLED with microLED.

They're basically the same word, so it's not surprising that people get confused. They really should have come up with more distinctive terms for the different technologies.

 

[floral]

You're still not catching a glance from me unless you go under $500 or so.

 

[Apple Fan 2008]

This is German, I have 10% confidence in this.

 

[gank41]

Just as the original Apple Watch was fully dependent on being connected to an iPhone, I think that in the future these Vision Pro headsets will evolve or change into just glasses, and will only show Notifications and HUD type of things. Maybe, allowing some limited API of the Vision Pro’s setup so apps already working for the Pro model will “Just Work” with the “Regular” model. I am sure they could make the stems of the regular looking glasses be the battery, and then somehow fit the guts of a modern Apple Watch into the main frame of the glasses. Even during the Keynote, the other day, one of the people that was announcing all of the features for Vision Pro was wearing glasses at one point, and then wasn’t wearing glasses at another point. I remember noticing that live, and then when I watched it later, as if there was a reason they did that. Like, maybe he was already wearing a prototype of some new regular glasses. Apple is very calculated in how they present things.

 

[contacos]

I wouldn't mind a version that is only for media consumption like the only part that really stood out / impressed me was the whole "watching a movie" experience. Maybe someone could also make a "calm" app where you can pick a location and you can make yourself feel like you are chilling in Hawaii instead of the ****** cloudy wet and cold weather for half the year we get here in Germany sort of like a anti-depressiviant device

 

[UltimateSyn]

I already have very little faith in Apple's naming ability, but if they call the lesser headset Apple Vision One instead of just Apple Vision then someone over there needs to lose their job.

I think Apple Vision One and Apple Vision Pro are phenomenal names for the first generations of their respective product lines. But the problems would arise with generations two and onward. Would Apple Vision “Three” be superior to Apple Vision Pro 2? Could get confusing from a consumer’s perspective.

 

[Powerbooky]

Hmmm... just had a dejavu... Ready Player ONE

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Outside screen to reveal the person's eyes as it's not for the person inside but for the people outside should have been called Foresight.

 

[joecomo]

who would have thought that …

 

[dz5b609]

Gurman knows how to make educated guesses, I'll give him that.

 

[dz5b609]

I wouldn't mind a version that is only for media consumption like the only part that really stood out / impressed me was the whole "watching a movie" experience. Maybe someone could also make a "calm" app where you can pick a location and you can make yourself feel like you are chilling in Hawaii instead of the ****** cloudy wet and cold weather for half the year we get here in Germany sort of like a anti-depressiviant device

"media consumption"

 

[snak-atak]

More likely is that in 2025 they will drop the price of the current version and introduce a higher end model with newer components such as M3, etc. By then, they will have supply and manufacturing costs under control so they will afford to sell the same product but at a lower cost and still make a hefty profit.

 

[boss.king]

I think Apple Vision One and Apple Vision Pro are phenomenal names for the first generations of their respective product lines. But the problems would arise with generations two and onward. Would Apple Vision “Three” be superior to Apple Vision Pro 2? Could get confusing from a consumer’s perspective.

The “One” is the issue. They’re already stuck with the Apple Vision part, but adding the one makes no sense give their current mishmash of different naming conventions. It doesn’t match the way they number products (iPhone 13, 14, etc) and it doesn’t fit with how they use One (Apple One, a group of subscription bundle options).

It’s like someone chopped up all their existing product names, put them in a hat, and just drew a random one to tack onto the end.

And that’s not even to mention that by that point the Vision One would be their second Vision product. Bad naming. Bad, bad, bad.

 

[dz5b609]

More likely is that in 2025 they will drop the price of the current version and introduce a higher end model with newer components such as M3, etc. By then, they will have supply and manufacturing costs under control so they will afford to sell the same product but at a lower cost and still make a hefty profit.

Doubtful, there's a reason this is called the Vision Pro and not the Vision.

 

[joecomo]

I don’t believe that Apple would compromise on image quality or head and hand tracking accuracy. What they announced is the baseline going forward. The illusion depends on accurate head tracking, anchoring and replicating reality outside the headset with no perceptible pixels.

When has Apple gone back on specs on the iPhone, Mac, iPad, Watch etc? Cheap iPhones have Retina displays. They simply use the previous year's chips, screens, cameras etc. 2025's VisionPro will use an M3 or M4 while the Apple Vision entry tier would continue using the M2 – at that point, over 2 years old and mass produced for Macs, iPads and probably even iPhones. It'll be cheap silicon.

I can imagine dropping the audio pods (bring your own AirPods) and making adjustments manual like Mark mentioned. Unlike what Gurman thinks, EyeSight might be sacrificed. While preventing isolation is a part of their philosophy, price minded people will be fine without it. It's an expensive non essential component.

Apple is making a big bet on 3D content made for Apple Vision becoming ubiquitous. They'll double down on it. Not only is it staying as a part of any Apple Vision tier, I believe we'll see 3D cameras on every iPhone and iPad going forward to help build that desire to experience your library on an Apple Vision and drive sales and adoption.

While the Vision Pro will be released in Q1 23, they'll reset to a September update schedule like they did with the 2nd gen iPhone, giving them almost 2 years to update it, after which point, the Vision Pro's components will have been more commoditized. "Cheaper" will probably still mean in the high thousand plus, probably $1,999.

yes - it will take some time before there will be a Vision SE

 

[Tripps9000]

Apples version of the failed Nintendo virtual boy😂🤣