Report Reveals Apple's Secretive Vision Products Roadmap

[huge_apple_fangirl]

Smart AR glasses have the potential to be BIG, unlike the Vision Pro, but they need to get the AI right. I don’t think Apple being behind on AI really matters for the iPhone since the AI features on phones are gimmicks anyways, but on glasses where you want it to be aware of where you’re looking and why it can be important. Hopefully Apple gets it right.

 

[fonzy91]

Having to wait 2 more years for Apple 'meta' glasses is kind of embarrassing.

 

[applefella]

You expect me to wear something on my eyes that doesn't even present visual information? I think not.

Same. Can't see texts / maps / incoming calls, etc., no buy.

 

[racerhomie]

I have a feeling that this is Kuos iPhone X Series prediction from 2016. Feels very confident of him.

I for one can’t wait for the next 5-6 years

 

[Yourbigpalal83]

While disapointed we wont be getting the Sunglasses next year, im all for this. Apple NEEDS to lead the computer industry into the wearable ocular realm with spacial computers. Its the natural evolution and its going to take a while to get there but when it does...and it will sooner or later, it will be revoluntary because now we will be able to blend the virtual digital world with the actual one, and that offers so many amazing (and to be fair horrifying) possibilities.

Imagine this. Kids in 20 years, maybe even sooner, go on a fieldtrip to Gettysburg battlefield. Using their Glasses, they can actually witness a virtual recreation of the battle and even interact with it, pause it, walk around 3d rendered "holographic" recreated soldiers, learn what happend where, why, the tatics involved, and interact with it in a way no book, no documentary can offer.

Or if they cant travel there, they can visit it virtually and connect with the history there via an app. Or other topics like science. Imagine having a 3d rendered fully interactive experence where you learn how cells work in the human body or how plate tectonics work or how the solar system functions all in a star trek like holodeck like experence.

and thats just education. Imagine practical use. Your a driver in New York City and you get real time maps and directions and info on traffic towards your destination. Instead of taking your eyes off the road to look at a display, the display is over your eyes and arrows point you in your direction. You can look at a building in the city and see a list of its buisnesses, reviews, the history of the building, the location of your friend your meeting there, etc.

its all amazing possabilities. Now of course its going to be expensive at first. It always is. and im sure there are going to be abuses of this tech or just idiotic ways of using it, but sooner or later we are all going to have it and wondered how the hell we managed to live without our Heads up display glasses.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Imagine this. Kids in 20 years, maybe even sooner, go on a fieldtrip to Gettysburg battlefield. Using their Glasses, they can actually witness a virtual recreation of the battle and even interact with it, pause it, walk around 3d rendered "holographic" recreated soldiers, learn what happend where, why, the tatics involved, and interact with it in a way no book, no documentary can offer.

One wonders what the objective and correct source material will be that's informing this, especially in 20 years.

 

[jyw104]

Would be nice if they came up with a solution that didn't necessitate custom Zeiss lens inserts for those with eyesight issues.

 

[tennisproha]

Apple's AR/VR has so much potential but they need to build out the app ecosystem so it's not seen as a novelty product.

I really see it being amazing as a home theater replacement but they need to work with content providers like HBO and Netflix to get them to stop hiding 4K content behind premium paywalls. With Apple TV+, you get access to the highest quality at one price and that's how it should be.

 

[jwdsail]

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared a detailed roadmap of the company's Vision and smart glasses plans until the end of the decade.

Apple apparently has at least seven projects in development, including three "Vision" devices and four smart glasses products. Kuo says that five of these products have "confirmed" development timelines, while two remain to be confirmed. Here's what to expect:

2025

• Apple Vision Pro (M5): A refreshed first-generation Vision Pro. Featuring the M5 chip with no other changes, the new device will not be considered to be a "second generation" model. Mass production is scheduled for the third quarter of 2025 and Apple is expecting to ship 150,000–200,000 units this year. It will likely remain a niche product. The second generation model is simply designed to maintain market presence and support ecosystem development, as well as reduce inventory of excess components in the supply chain.

2026

• No new Vision or smart glasses products to be released.

2027

• Apple Smart Glasses: Similar to Meta Ray-Bans, Apple's first smart glasses product will offer multiple frame and temple material options for a more personalized look. It will feature voice control and gesture recognition, but there will be no display. Key features include audio playback, photography and videography, and AI-powered environmental awareness. Some users will use the smart glasses to replace their AirPods or iPhone camera in certain situations. Mass production is scheduled for the second quarter of 2027, with Apple expecting shipments of three to five million units in the launch year. It will likely be the first Vision or glasses product to achieve significant sales volume.
• Apple Vision Air: Featuring all-new design that is "substantially lighter," with over 40% weight reduction compared to the Vision Pro. This weight reduction will be achieved by replacing glass with plastic, using magnesium alloy, and reducing the number of sensors on the device. It will contain Apple's latest flagship iPhone processor of the time, rather than an M-series chip. It will come at a "significantly lower price point" than the Vision Pro. Mass production is scheduled for the third quarter of 2027.

2028

• Apple Vision Pro (second generation): Apple's true second generation Vision Pro headset will debut an entirely new design with a significantly reduced weight. It will feature a powerful, Mac-grade processor and a lower price point. Mass production is projected to begin in the second half of 2028.
• Apple XR Glasses: While the product will feature voice control and gesture recognition like the company's first smart glasses, this more advanced version will add a color Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) display with waveguide optics. AI will apparently be critical to the device's success. Mass production is scheduled for the second half of 2028. Several other brands are expected to release similar products before Apple to establish early market presence, but due to the nature of this category of devices as early technology, these products will probably remain niche offerings over their first few years of existence.

2029 and Later

• Apple XR Glasses (second generation or variant): A different version of Apple's XR glasses introduced in 2028, with a later production timeline. Little is known about this device at present.
• Display Accessory (development paused): An all-new kind of device that uses a tethered connection to display content from Apple devices like iPhones and Macs. It features display technology from Birdbath optics with electrochromic dimming. The device was originally scheduled to enter mass production in the second quarter of 2026, but its development was paused in the fourth quarter of 2024 because Apple questioned its competitive advantage over other existing products. Apple's version had a weight of 120–130 grams, versus a sub-100 gram weight of competitors. Apple is currently reviewing the product for "repositioning and specification refinement," and a project restart is possible.

Kuo believes that Apple has considerable competitive advantages in its plan to offer a range of Vision and smart glasses products, due to its robust hardware development capabilities and unique ecosystem integration. The main challenge facing the company remains AI-powered features and software. See Kuo's full report for more information.

Article Link: Report Reveals Apple's Secretive Vision Products Roadmap

I really hope that they add the ability to connect the AvP to a Mac/PC to use with existing Sim hardware/software?

Better FOV would be great as well.

Sigh.

apple.com/feedback

 

[springsup]

AI will apparently be critical to the device's success

It will feature voice control and gesture recognition, but there will be no display. Key features include audio playback, photography and videography, and AI-powered environmental awareness.

As far as features go - what the device is for/what it can do, there seems to be a theme. Don’t know how to position your product in 202X? Say you can access AI services with it. Like the Humane AI pin.

Good thing Apple has a solid AI foundation to build on, right?

 

[212rikanmofo]

Should i get an Apple Vision Pro now or wait for the M5 model considering its releasing this year.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Should i get an Apple Vision Pro now or wait for the M5 model considering its releasing this year.

Absolutely wait

You don't want Gen1 of most anything Apple, but especially of AVP.

 

[212rikanmofo]

But if this roadmap is true it looks like I'll have to wait 3 more years for the 2nd Gen AVP to come?

 

[lilkwarrior]

Apple should make a Vision Pro not requiring prescription glasses. Not for useless spatial computing. Just to watch 3D movies.

The inserts work for many such as myself and a prosumer product with a laptop level product just to consume may not be for you instead of the theoretical Vision Air

 

[lilkwarrior]

Absolutely wait

You don't want Gen1 of most anything Apple, but especially of AVP.

.That advice doesn’t really apply much to prosumers and several key early adopter demographics for products such as the Vision Pro.

With your logic people would have waited six years for a Pro Display XDR successor and 4 years at a time for a Mac Pro successor which is ancient history of deriving value of prosumer products

 

[212rikanmofo]

At this point its not even worth buying an AVP that has an M2 chip.

 

[Isamilis]

.

 

[ds2000]

I’m probably not the only one who feels that none of those devices are for me. Another device to buy, carry/wear, charge, worry about. Same reasons why I sold my Apple Watch. Not enough use for me, personally. iPhone does all I need.

It depends on your life / commute / work etc.
I love the vision pros extended display but find the FOV far too small. Genuine passthrough AR glasses with screens would be amazing.

 

[Brien]

What’s the point of the m5 then in the so called Vision Pro 1. Why not at least do another change or make it cheaper

It’s like the AIrPod Max USB-C, more about supply chain than customers

 

[jole]

What’s the point of the m5 then in the so called Vision Pro 1. Why not at least do another change or make it cheaper

Vision Pro that I am using daily struggles in the edge of M2 capabilities: both GPU and RAM. Spatial computing is demanding.

If they would offer a 32GB model, I might upgrade. M5 makes sense, BUT they need to also significantly upgrade RAM. Offer both 64GB and 32GB versions.

 

[jole]

If they just got rid of the useless front facing screen that does nothing but show a creepy version of the users eyes, it would reduce complexity, cost, and weight, not to mention increasing battery life.

I have found this “creepy” imitation me to allow using headset longer in social situations: having a quick water cooler conversation without taking the headset off.

Amount of R&D they put in the feature is silly. That gives my inner geek a warm fuzzy feeling.

That said - added weight, cost, battery, and fragility might still add up to make the feature not worth it.

 

[jole]

I have the Ray Ban Meta glasses and they are surprisingly useful. If you think of them as glasses first and smartglasses second, it will make more sense. They only cost a bit more than a normal pair of Ray Ban's and they include a camera, Meta AI, speakers, etc. When Apple releases their version, it will integrate better into the Apple Ecosystem, and if priced correctly and similar to Meta glasses, they will sell millions of them.

Also, Apple has trust to keep things private— absolute critical for smart glasses.

 

[TD540]

wondering if they'll expand to more countries

 

[gjlamb]

Would be nice if they came up with a solution that didn't necessitate custom Zeiss lens inserts for those with eyesight issues.

I'm curious about whether I need to get lenses. Even though one of my prescriptions is for computer use, I don't use my glasses when using a normal screen. Surely depending on the corrections, the virtual display can be moved to a distance that is usable without lenses??

 

[gjlamb]

Absolutely wait

You don't want Gen1 of most anything Apple, but especially of AVP.

Technically its still Gen1 just with a processor upgrade. I thought if they did a significant reduction in the M2 version price I might be able to justify but other comments on here say the M2 struggles with some VR and other activities. If it struggles for my minimal requirements then I'll prob just hold off. At AU$6,000 its hard to justify.