With the Vision Pro, Apple introduced an AR/VR headset that was supposed to stand out from previous models with an entirely new concept. However, customer interest remained lukewarm, which might result in having no successor.
Technically, the headset is quite impressive. However, it is far from perfect. Apart from the VisionOS which is still not fully developed, the stratospheric price is out of reach for most consumers.
The mediocre sales figures might have resulted in Apple ending the development of a direct successor, based on rumors from the Information magazine as cited by MacRumors. However, this does not mean that the company has given up on the AR/VR headset market.
A cheaper model in lieu of the Apple Vision Pro 2?
The challenge of positioning a very expensive high-end headset on the market might have been made known to developers early on. According to the report, work on a prototype began as early as 2022, codenamed N109. The resulting headset was supposed to go on sale later this year with a target price of around $1,600.
That would still have been significantly higher compared to other available established models, such as the Meta Quest 3 (review) or the far more expensive HTC Vive XR Elite (review). The latter also focuses on gaming focus, which is self-explanatory.
Based on the report, Apple continues to struggle to reduce costs without having to make too many compromises on the intended features. So far, the problems that arose have not been successfully resolved. Even a planned launch for the end of 2025 has been pushed back even further. The new Apple headset is not planned to be released before 2026.
Does the Vision Pro’s successor need to be completely rethought?
This raises the question whether the Vision Pro will even receive a successor, even if it is scaled down. The market for augmented or virtual reality headsets is still relatively small and mainly has its followers in niche markets.
Nevertheless, various manufacturers continue to try new concepts to expand the user base. Recently, Lenovo drew attention with the Legion Glasses, which is less of a VR headset and more of an (additional) screen in the form of glasses.
What is your maximum budget for an AR/VR headset? Do you think the average consumer is priced out of the market?
