According to Bloomberg analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has postponed the launch of a cheaper Apple Vision headset, initially expected for 2025. The new lower-cost version may now take a few more years to reach the market. Previously, rumors suggested that Apple was planning to introduce a more accessible Apple Vision headset as early as next year. This device, designed to broaden the audience of users of “spatial computing” technologies, would have been characterized by less expensive materials, lower resolution screens and the absence of EyeSight functionality. However, according to Kuo’s latest assessments, this project will not be completed on time.
Kuo also claims that Apple will still launch a new version of Apple Vision Pro in 2025, equipped with the M5 chip and advanced Apple Intelligence features. It is not yet clear whether the device will include further hardware updates. The analyst compared the idea of a cheap Apple Vision to the introduction of the HomePod mini, explaining that despite offering a cheaper smart speaker, Apple has failed to make this product a mass-market device. According to Kuo, even a headset costing around $2,000 would not automatically guarantee widespread diffusion of the visionOS operating system.
According to other rumors, Apple is considering developing a less expensive headset that would transfer much of the computing power directly to the user’s iPhone. This solution would see the Apple Vision headset primarily as a device with a display and battery, taking advantage of the iPhone’s capabilities for computing operations. A product of this type could be reminiscent of other solutions already on the market, such as the Xreal glasses, which show content from the iPhone through their displays. According to analysts, a viewer that depends on the iPhone would further consolidate the latter’s central role within the Apple ecosystem. Thanks to the power margins guaranteed by next-generation chips, this idea could prove not only technologically feasible, but also advantageous in terms of accessibility and cost.
