Now that all of the rumors have been put to bed and the Apple Vision Pro headset is here, there’s one thing that almost everyone can agree on – the $3,499 asking price is a high one, even if it might be worth every penny thanks to the hardware that goes into making the thing.
But even before Apple made the new headset official at WWDC on 5 June there were rumors that the company had designs on a new, cheaper version. Now, a new report has again backed that up but added that those hoping to pick one up will have quite the wait on their hands.
Time to save those pennies
According to a new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, writing via the Power On newsletter, Apple continues to work on being able to launch a cheaper Vision Pro, but it’s unlikely to be ready for the public until the end of 2025.
Gurman believes that the cheaper model won’t replace the existing, more expensive Vision Pro, however. Instead, it’s thought that the company will instead choose to offer the cheaper model alongside a refreshed flagship Vision Pro headset. The result will be a non-Pro and Pro pairing similar to that of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, for example.
“Apple is currently planning a release of the cheaper model for as early as the end of 2025, meaning it won’t debut for about two years after the original Vision Pro,” Gurman reports. “At the same time, Apple is already working on a second-generation Vision Pro with a faster processor, indicating it’s intent on a two-product strategy for the device in line with the standard iPhone and iPhone Pro models.”
The end result is that anyone who wants to pick up an Apple AR/VR headset will have to stump up the $3,499 if they want to get one within the next two years.
As for how Apple could choose to make a non-Pro headset, Gurman suggests that there are a few places that it could cut costs including using cheaper displays. There are some places where Apple isn’t expected to see money, however, with its hand and eye-tracking technology and EyeSight external display thought to be non-negotiables for the company. It’s those features that are thought to be key to Apple’s headset lineup moving forward, whether that’s a future Vision Pro or something cheaper, possibly called Vision One or even just Apple Vision.
Whenever a cheaper headset does arrive, it’s clear Apple Apple doesn’t intend for $3,499 to be the starting price forever. A cheaper Vision Pro has to happen eventually, whether or not we have to wait until 2025 for it to happen.
