I’m old now so I can’t wait 2 years between upgrades any longer. I’m buying V1.
Perhaps this is a strategy for the senior market.
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Project Alaska: Apple's Second-Generation Vision Pro Headset
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Perhaps this is a strategy for the senior market.
Well the first Apple laptop was the Macintosh Portable released in 1989 with a price tag of $7,300....equivalent to $17,200 today. You can buy a MBA for $1,299 now. Both the Macintosh Portable and the Apple Vision Pro were kind of revolutionary in a way, with cutting edge tech, a niche products and business oriented. Tech is not static and price drop drastically in a 20 year span. So it's not unreasonable to imagine an Apple Vision version for a fraction of the price in the future, is it?
Why?
Early adopters are certainly aware that the first gen product will be bested by the next one in some, if not most ways.
A $3500 ticket to ride the first wave is still appealing to many.
Why does “the next level of computing“ need to cost the same as an iPhone? Is it replacing the iPhone? If not, I don’t understand the connection, other than the iPhone is Apple’s most popular product and this one won’t be anytime soon.
We know this has an M chip (it was officially revealed to be M2, but a lot of us hope that changes to M3 before launch), but I’m not sure that we’ve seen any definite confirmation about the RAM or storage or any of those computing components.
The “Pro” model should absolutely be state-of-the-art. Future “Air” and/or standard versions can possibly go with the latest A chip. Maybe?
I think it’s a little premature to say this is a full-on computer, though. It definitely has potential to replace the Mac computer, but we have no idea how that would all work right now. Can we connect an external hard drive to this? Will there be different storage options? Will more storage get you more RAM? We don’t know yet.
I’m really curious how long Apple will support the version 1 Vision Pro. As amazing as it already is, we all know that Apple has released undercooked products before, like the iPad 3 (with Retina Display, but lacking sufficient performance) and the Series 0 Apple Watch (which lost software support very quickly).
The only people that should be buying the first gen AVP are people who want to put the unopened box in a vault for 10-20 years and then auction it off for $100,000.
The days of constantly dropping prices combined with ever increasing computational power in the world of tech is over. Moore’s law has reached its conclusion in the face of raw physics. Expecting any new tech to experience the same pattern as the original Apple portable or the first desktop PC is unrealistic.
I would love to get the first generation, because I’m extremely curious about this device. But $3,500 plus taxes is not in my budget for something that might or might not have a relevant enough use case for me. $1,500 to $2,000 would have been possible. And I hope a future version of this device will be available around that price point. $999 I don’t expect to happen ever.
Nothing about what REALLY matters…PRICE!
Over the last several months, we've heard reports that Apple is working on a second-generation AR/VR headset, although there have been few details shared about the device. MacRumors has now received new information about the project, giving us some insight into the design and hardware of the successor to the Vision Pro.
The second-generation Apple Vision Pro headset, known internally under the codename Project Alaska and device identifier N109, bears striking resemblance to the first-generation Vision Pro announced at WWDC 2023. While the device maintains the curved aesthetic and button placement of the first Vision Pro, the speaker placement is expected to be different.
Early designs of the second-generation Apple headset do not include the rounded areas that house the speakers on the first-generation model. Instead, the headset features temples that are flat and uniform throughout their entire length. Documentation related to the Alaska project contains references to a non-descript audio accessory, possibly an external speaker. At one point in development, there were two different design configurations for the top vents – one being the same as the vents on the first-generation Apple Vision Pro, and the latter featuring two clusters of tiny speaker-type holes.
Another key difference has to do with the rear straps. The second-generation headset features straps that are simpler in design and appearance, being somewhat reminiscent of the flat straps commonly found on laptop bags or backpacks. Prior rumors have suggested that the next Apple headset could be cheaper than the Vision Pro, and the design of the rear straps on the second-generation headset lends some credence to this theory. More streamlined straps would presumably be easier to mass produce, perhaps resulting in a lower overall price for end consumers.
Along with the possibility of an audio accessory, information from our sources suggests that Apple has plans for an external battery pack, similar to the battery pack used for the first-generation Apple Vision Pro.
In terms of hardware, the second-generation Vision Pro will continue to include an array of cameras and sensors similar to those in the first headset. To be more specific, the device will feature a compass, ambient light sensor, magnetometer, and gyroscope, all of which are already present in the iPhone. For connectivity, the second generation Apple headset will support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, and ultra-low latency audio (ULLA).
Key hardware components of the second-generation Apple headset:
- 2 micro-OLED displays
- 1 TrueDepth camera
- 4 computer vision (CV) cameras
- 2 RGB cameras
- 2 low light infrared illuminators
- Semi-automatic interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment
- Compass, ambient light sensor, magnetometer, accelerometer, gyrocope
Current information indicates that the second-generation Apple headset is scheduled for the product validation testing (PVT) stage of development in 2025, suggesting a release date of late 2025 or early 2026. The information we've shared comes from a reliable source that has provided us with details about Apple's plans in the past, but it is worth noting that this is pre-production information and Apple's plans could change before final mass production begins on the second-generation headset.
For more information on the current Apple Vision Pro, check out our dedicated Vision Pro roundup.
Article Link: Project Alaska: Apple's Second-Generation Vision Pro Headset
Of course but that’s not what I said. A “Pro” level headset will always be at the premium price point. As has continued to this very day. MBP, Mac Pro, iPad Pro, all maintain their high price points. At best a Vision Pro might drop $500 in a couple years. But this $500 to $1000 version that people seem to think will happen, will be a different tier of product. Much like the MBA, iPad Mini, iPhone SE, etc
Apple set the price for this new Pro product at $3500. It’s going to be “around” that for quite a while. Maybe they’ll come out with a $1,000 stand to display it.
I'm not sure redundant is the word you're looking for. That suggests something else makes it redundant. There won't be another Vision headset for a least 16 months after the v1.0 is released. That's plenty of time to ramp up sales.
Because people on here make up total nonsense all the time. The headset will no doubt come down in price a bit over time, but this idea that a "cheap" version is waiting in the wings...or that version 2 will drop substantially in price...is pure fanboy fantasy. If Apple could deliver a cheaper headset at launch, they would.
Between the high price, tedious purchase process, and fact that Vision Pro isn't easily shared, selling Vision Pro beyond the built-in fanboy audience is going to be a challenge. A cheaper price would make the product much more appealing, but making it cheaper means making sacrifices. Fewer cameras. No creepy front display. There are only so many things Apple could possibly cut. Vision Pro isn't like the iPhone where Apple has a lot of room to offer different features across different models.
What does a non-Pro Vision Pro even look like, much less a Vision SE? What features are cut or compromised in the way the camera is a major differentiating feature between iPhone models? Different Vision models can't really compromise on image quality or anything to do with user interaction and input (ie: all the hand and eye tracking wizardry). I don't see many ways for Apple to offer distinct Vision headsets that run the gamut from basic (SE) to Pro the way they can with iPhones, iPads, and Macs, or even the Watch with its different enclosure materials.
My personal belief is that there will only be Vision Pro for a number of years. The way I see it, Vision Pro sets the baseline for features rather than defining the top tier. Don't let the "Pro" moniker fool you. "Pro" is just Apple marketing speak. People who buy into the notion that a cheaper product is coming quickly aren't being realistic. This is a cutting edge product. Apple won't be bringing the price down through volume anytime soon. The only other option is to cut features and there aren't many to cut. I think a second/cheaper Vision product is at least three years out. I also expect the price to settle around $2999 within three years. I don't see it dropping much below that.
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While your comments are correct you're missing a few key details about the price drops on those products. The first MacBook Air was still being sold when the second model was released. The previous model of an Apple device is always gets a drop in price if it is still being sold. Often it gets a price drop and is sold to education customers only till supply is no longer available. The first iPhone never actually dropped in price - if it did, it was for a very shirt time just after the 3G arrived. If you wanted to buy it straight out from Apple it was still going to cost you $599. The $199 price for the 3G was the carrier subsidized price from AT&T (https://web.archive.org/web/20080724223157/http://www.apple.com/iphone/ - "Requires new two-year AT&T; rate plan, sold separately to qualified customers." <- noted at the bottom of the page with an asterisk) which has been the case going forward, albeit different ways to obtain an iPhone through the various carriers. The base price for the 3G never started at $199, but this was because AT&T never allowed for Apple to sell the iPhone straight to users till much after the iPhone 3G.. Apple dropped the price of the Series 0 because retailers were giving some pretty significant deals on the Apple Watch for the previous holiday season. Authorized Apple retailers do not make a "per piece" profit on Apple devices. They get a percentage back based upon total dollar amount of Apple devices sold. It's usually when going to a retailer like some misguided store managers Best Buy will push their computer associates to sell PCs, Android and anything but Apple because they're more interested in their store's "bottom" line as Apple stuff does not directly contribute to the store bottom line. The second gen AppleTV was missing a significant amount of hardware - component and composite audio output, a HDD and HDD controller. The technology was less expensive to manufacture which also brought the price down.
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They could remove the outside-facing screen to start, as it is utterly cosmetic and useless.
Also remove M-series SoC, memory, and battery, and release it as a companion device for Mac users, you could use VisionOS while plugged to a clamshell mode Macbook Air or something like that.
Let's not kid ourselves, "Vision Pro" positions it as top of the line, they chose it fully knowing that the market would interpret it that way.
If they didn't have that intention, $3499 "Apple Vision" would have been received just in the same way.
Anyway I'd be ready for such a product, at something like $1999, I'm sure that it will come as soon as they are able to have enough microLED displays.
Because we know the price and initial feedback wasn’t earth shattering. Segway had more excitement and that too bombed.
Well you clearly don’t know Apple. They want sales not a niche product.
Elite product? What does that even mean? Just because you go to Civil in highland park and pay $6 for your latte doesn’t make you elite.
Removing the outside-facing screen is the most obvious cost-cutting measure. That said, I wouldn't call that display useless. It's a big part of the whole Vision Pro experience. That outside display is designed to humanize the product and make it more appealing and less threatening. Seeing someone's eyes makes the product feel more personal, more intimate, more human. That display is a huge part of the Vision Pro experience, even though it has basically no impact on the person wearing the device. Without it, you might as well be wearing a Quest.
But that is not a stand-alone "spatial computing" device. That is a VR headset/accessory.
I do think there's room for such an accessory product with a focus on entertainment. If I could get the entertainment aspects of Vision Pro without all of the other stuff for a reasonable price, I'd buy one. I think there's actually a huge market for such a product, but that product is not an independent Vision "spatial computing" device. That product is a dependent accessory for consuming content.
Vision Pro can't be top - or bottom - of the line because there is only one product in the product line. "Pro" is just a marketing tool. As you said, it's about how the market interprets it. It's marketing. That's all.
I think you're reading too much into it. Pro just sounds better and it helps to justify the insane price tag. Again, marketing.
Yup. There will be a brief period of joy, months of buyer's unease as the rumors solidify, then instant regret when Apple demos gen 2. But I'm still gettin' one. 😀
Because with most products that are ultimately successful a practically universal use case is obvious. iPhone is a phone/music player/internet appliance. The iPad is a Web browser. The Apple Watch is a fitness band.
While the tether is problematic, it’s one of the more minor barriers Vision Pro had to wide spread adoption. But make no mistake: a tethered headset will be a deal breaker for lots of potential customers.
Interesting. but when Apple tells you "From" $3499, what does that even mean? Here's my take on that:
Base trim 1st gen VP: $3499. Translation, "Upgrades and options at extra cost."
Now add the things we know you'd want: Sales Tax (anywhere from about 6-12%), $210-$420
Rx lens inserts if needed: approx $300-600 depending on prescription
Spare or optional larger Battery pack (with a 2 hour use cycle, you'd want more, right?): unknown at this time
AppleCare+: (you'd be insane to spend $3500+ on new technology and not protect it): unknown, but at least $400-$500 for two year coverage.
Same as buying a new car. The MSRP is listed, but it's impossible to get one for that price.
I'd guess most will wind up spending at least $5,000 all in to get one. That's 3-4 weeks salary for most Americans. A big ask, if you ask me. That's why I'd guess the next VP will be at least $500 less.