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A recent report suggests that Apple has canceled the development of the Vision Pro 2. The first-generation VR/XR headset has run into difficulties on the market. Its high cost is probably the main problem that prevented its success.
According to The Information, Apple has notified at least one of the component suppliers for the Vision Pro that they are no longer working on the next-generation model. But the company still would not have ruled out the development of a cheaper model. Previously, it was said that Apple had plans to launch both the Vision Pro 2 and a more affordable Vision headset.
Apple would have canceled the Vision Pro 2 headset
The report indicates that one key component supplier had already reduced production by up to 50%. This would have occurred in May, after Apple predicted that demand would be lower than initially projected. This year, Apple Vision Pro production is below 500k units. There also do not seem to be plans to increase these figures much in the coming months (at least until August).
That said, although development of the Vision Pro 2 may have been cancelled, the source adds that Apple does not rule out resuming it in the future. In fact, a report from April suggested that the next generation would arrive in 2026. However, currently, the company seems focused on a more affordable Vision product.
A cheaper Vision product would be priority now
The price of the more affordable Vision device would be similar to that of the highest-end iPhones. So, you can expect a price of around $1,500–$1,600. However, its development is not an easy task either. Apple would be struggling with significantly reducing the price of the device while maintaining the user experience they are looking for.
The Cupertino giant would want to keep the same screen as the current Vision Pro. Meanwhile, they would apply cust-cutting in sections such as the cameras (less units), smaller speakers, and the headband manufacturing.
Apple reportedly started working on the cheaper Vision headset in 2022. The original plan involved a launch by the end of 2024. However, problems finding the ideal balance between cost-cutting and user experience would have delayed the project. The report states that the company did not yet have a prototype at the beginning of this year. So, the launch would not happen until at least the end of 2025.
For reference, the Apple Vision Pro launched for $3,499. Therefore, it does not seem like an easy task to reduce it by half (at least) without significantly impacting the experience. Still, launching a cheaper Vision headset could be the smartest move if Apple wants to set its “spatial computing” as a standard for the future.