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Mike Rockwell, the Apple executive who led development of the Vision Pro and is now in charge of rebuilding Siri, has considered leaving the company or moving into an advisory role as soon as next year, according to a new Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman.

apple-vision-pro-orange.jpg

Rockwell is said to have reservations about reporting to his new boss, software chief Craig Federighi, and wants a bigger remit than the one he currently has, according to people with knowledge of the matter who spoke to Gurman. Rockwell was apparently once lined up for a role defining Apple's product and AI roadmap – something close to a chief technology officer position – on the assumption that head-worn wearables would form the foundation of Apple's post-iPhone era.

However, that trajectory has gone south because the Vision Pro has struggled to find a mainstream audience, with many put off by its $3,499 price tag and physical heft. Apple is still developing smart glasses and other wearables, but the picture for Rockwell is decidedly murkier than it once was.

Rockwell took on the Siri project in March 2025 as part of a wider reshuffle, after Tim Cook lost confidence in the AI work being done under former AI chief John Giannandrea and reassigned the voice assistant away from his team.

Gurman reports that Rockwell is unlikely to walk away before finishing the Siri overhaul, which is now expected to arrive as part of iOS 27. He is one of several senior Apple figures who are said to be weighing their next move as John Ternus prepares to take over from CEO Tim Cook in September.

Among them is retail and HR chief Deirdre O'Brien, who has told colleagues she is considering retirement, while government affairs head Kate Adams is set to retire later this year. Marketing boss Greg Joswiak, App Store head Phil Schiller, and services chief Eddy Cue are all approaching four decades at the company, raising the prospect of further departures during Ternus's watch.

Article Link: Vision Pro Creator Mike Rockwell Has Considered Leaving Apple
 
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Eh.

You may not like it but vision pro is a halo product to show the way forward in terms of how to build a relevant UI, figuring out app design patterns etc. for what is coming.

Forget the form factor. It’s not ready for mass production yet because we do not yet have the technology.

Something a little larger than a set of glasses though is where it’s headed. Maybe not this year, maybe not next but within 3-5 years that’s what we’re going to get.


Like AI LLMs, augmented reality is going to go from being a bit of a joke to a game changing technology very, very rapidly once it hits a critical tipping point.
 
stories like this always seems to side-step the obvious which is that ANY product at $3,500 will struggle to sell in large numbers.

Apple must have know this and yet they continued to use premium components and that weird eyesight screen at the front to make it even more expensive....

The net result being a product that is way too expensive for the average consumer to afford or justify.

Its not a bad product, just one that was made without considering the rather obvious small market for it.

its all very well being 'disappointed' with sales but surely they could see that coming a mile off when they initially set the price point. Apple arent stupid and have decades of sales statistics and experts that know how to price things to sell - and this was totally outside of a lot of people's reach.
 
Vision Pro was launched too soon and I'm guessing that's Tim's fault as the rumours were he wanted it out ASAP.

Maybe they drop the price, take the financial hit but get far more people and app developers into the device. And then roll out a new, lighter (hopefully) version. I don't see glasses performing as effective as the headset.

The technology is cool - Apple should try to partner with the major sports or musicians. Imagine throwing on the headset and bam - watching a live game courtside or front row seats for your favourite band. Make it a subscription if need be (yeah I know another one!)

But rumours are Ternus isn't a fan of AVP so it may be shelved.
 
Eh.

You may not like it but vision pro is a halo product to show the way forward in terms of how to build a relevant UI, figuring out app design patterns etc. for what is coming.

Forget the form factor. It’s not ready for mass production yet because we do not yet have the technology.

Something a little larger than a set of glasses though is where it’s headed. Maybe not this year, maybe not next but within 3-5 years that’s what we’re going to get.


Like AI LLMs, augmented reality is going to go from being a bit of a joke to a game changing technology very, very rapidly once it hits a critical tipping point.

I mostly agree, but also I think the final products for what LLMs and Vision Pro are creating will likely look nothing like what companies are currently pushing. There is tons of value in companies trying these things out and creating little bits and bobs for nascent technology... but how those bits and bobs end up in the final product is currently unknown.
 
Ok here is the problem with the vision pro, pure and simple....IT COST TOO DAMN MUCH. 3499 IS AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A PRODUCT THAT HAS NO CLEAR DEFINED USE. Its an amazing technical product, no doubt about it, but their is no way your average consumer is going to drop that kind of money for a novelty luxuary item that isnt a laptop that can get actual work done.

Apple did something amazing with the vision pro but killed it before it ever launched with that price point, because in order for VR and AR to succeed it has to afforable and apple is missing the mark completely here with its price point. Yes i get it has breakthough high end tech and that costs alot, but i truly believe if apple put out a "Air" version of the Vision pro at a much lower price, it would work.

Heres the core problem. Meta (yes say what you will about their privacy issues) has got them beat on the hardware front on every catagory when it comes to VR/AR Headsets and smart glasses. I own 2 pairs of Smart Glasses which are just cameras, speakers and an Ai, and the Meta Quest 3 which is a really cool VR/AR headset for 500 dollars (But i think the price went up recently).

its a wonderful gaming system, and i use it all the time, but its app support isnt the greatest. If you buy it as a gaming platform, i think you will be happy but in no way shape or form is it a genuine productivy tool.

IF APPLE MATCHED WHAT META IS DOING IN THE VR SPACE it would dominate the market overnight. You give me a apple version of the Meta quest 3 with the apple ecosystem, the ability to send messages, video chat, music, appletv all built in like most other apple products, for under 1000 dollars, you have yourself a massive adoption rate and support for the platform.

The vision pro does all of that, but way over priced. You dont need that idiotic front facing screen with the eyes. You dont need aluminum in the unit that adds weight and makes the device unconfortable to use for long periods of time and increases the cost of the device and this idea that it will replace computers...is a far fetched dream.

You market it as an entertainment device. As steve jobs said, "Headphones for the eyes" and you have a system that flies off the shelves at 1000-1500 dollars MAX.

3500 Dollars is the cost of a used car, or months worth of rent and bills. No sane person who isnt wealthy is going to buy something like that.

Im an early adopter and im far from wealthy and yes if i had the money id buy an apple vision pro today if i could. But i live in the real world with real bills to pay and as much as i love AR/VR tech it doesnt keep a roof over my head. It does me no good owning an apple vision pro if im out in the street using it.

If John Turnus is smart, he wont kill the line, but will put out a lower cost affordable version of it. I truly hope he does. I do think the tech is amazing and will EVENTUALLY make its way into every day use...but thats never going to happen at 3500 dollars.
 
Ok here is the problem with the vision pro, pure and simple....IT COST TOO DAMN MUCH. 3499 IS AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A PRODUCT THAT HAS NO CLEAR DEFINED USE. Its an amazing technical product, no doubt about it, but their is no way your average consumer is going to drop that kind of money for a novelty luxuary item that isnt a laptop that can get actual work done.

Apple did something amazing with the vision pro but killed it before it ever launched with that price point, because in order for VR and AR to succeed it has to afforable and apple is missing the mark completely here with its price point. Yes i get it has breakthough high end tech and that costs alot, but i truly believe if apple put out a "Air" version of the Vision pro at a much lower price, it would work.

Heres the core problem. Meta (yes say what you will about their privacy issues) has got them beat on the hardware front on every catagory when it comes to VR/AR Headsets and smart glasses. I own 2 pairs of Smart Glasses which are just cameras, speakers and an Ai, and the Meta Quest 3 which is a really cool VR/AR headset for 500 dollars (But i think the price went up recently).

its a wonderful gaming system, and i use it all the time, but its app support isnt the greatest. If you buy it as a gaming platform, i think you will be happy but in no way shape or form is it a genuine productivy tool.

IF APPLE MATCHED WHAT META IS DOING IN THE VR SPACE it would dominate the market overnight. You give me a apple version of the Meta quest 3 with the apple ecosystem, the ability to send messages, video chat, music, appletv all built in like most other apple products, for under 1000 dollars, you have yourself a massive adoption rate and support for the platform.

The vision pro does all of that, but way over priced. You dont need that idiotic front facing screen with the eyes. You dont need aluminum in the unit that adds weight and makes the device unconfortable to use for long periods of time and increases the cost of the device and this idea that it will replace computers...is a far fetched dream.

You market it as an entertainment device. As steve jobs said, "Headphones for the eyes" and you have a system that flies off the shelves at 1000-1500 dollars MAX.

3500 Dollars is the cost of a used car, or months worth of rent and bills. No sane person who isnt wealthy is going to buy something like that.

Im an early adopter and im far from wealthy and yes if i had the money id buy an apple vision pro today if i could. But i live in the real world with real bills to pay and as much as i love AR/VR tech it doesnt keep a roof over my head. It does me no good owning an apple vision pro if im out in the street using it.

If John Turnus is smart, he wont kill the line, but will put out a lower cost affordable version of it. I truly hope he does. I do think the tech is amazing and will EVENTUALLY make its way into every day use...but thats never going to happen at 3500 dollars.

It's not just the cost. You said it yourself right up top:

"A PRODUCT THAT HAS NO CLEAR DEFINED USE."

That's a bad product at any price.
 
It's not just the cost. You said it yourself right up top:

"A PRODUCT THAT HAS NO CLEAR DEFINED USE."

That's a bad product at any price.
it does have a clear use...a personal entertainment system...apple just has to market it as such. HEADPHONES FOR THE EYES...your not going to write a novel on it. Your not going to program an app or cure cancer on it, but as an entertainment device, like the airpods max...it has a use. You just need to know what that use is and market it to people.
 
But rumours are Ternus isn't a fan of AVP so it may be shelved.

They might as well keep it around because if nothing else it helps develop and refine visionOS for when Apple is ready to release a true "smart glasses" product. But if Mike Rockwell is not part of that program, he may not have a home in a Ternus Administration so moving on might be the right call for him.
 
Ok, I’m confused. According to all the Vision Pro fans on MR, Vision Pro was for developers, not consumers, and Apple is thrilled with sales because they sold every one they could make. So which is it? Vision Pro was for developers and sales are great? Or Vision Pro was a huge disappointment because it totally bombed with consumers?
 
How is this possible? We were assured the era of spatial computing is HERE! It’s starting to sound like the AVP was never meant to be a mainstream product. Instead, is it the AVP was a chance for early adopters to try tomorrow's technology, today, so stay tuned?

But seriously, this sounds like another situation in which the Apple PR team set a timeline, so the product teams were forced to release without a clear plan for the ecosystem or an upgrade path.
 
Ok, I’m confused. According to all the Vision Pro fans on MR, Vision Pro was for developers, not consumers, and Apple is thrilled with sales because they sold every one they could make. So which is it? Vision Pro was for developers and sales are great? Or Vision Pro was a huge disappointment because it totally bombed with consumers?

The actual answer is in bold.
That's been the truth from nearly the get go, it's just that some have have tried to ret-con this situation after the fact.
 
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