Apple Faces Challenges in Sparking Interest for a More Affordable, Less Powerful Vision Pro

The Apple Vision Pro, priced at a steep $3,500, has yet to really carve out its niche in the VR market. Despite boasting some of the most impressive visuals and hand-tracking capabilities available, the initial buzz has nearly fizzled out within just a few months of its launch. A significant factor in this is undoubtedly its sky-high price tag. So, how might Apple reduce those costs to make it a serious competitor to the Meta Quest 3? It appears the strategy might involve stripping away some of the features that make the Vision Pro stand out.

Over at Apple’s famed headquarters, a team is grappling with the challenge of designing a more budget-friendly version of the Vision headset, which is rumored to hit the market next year. According to a detailed report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, this upcoming device could be priced between $1,500 and $2,000. Gurman outlines several potential measures to bring down costs, such as ditching the EyeSight exterior display that shows users’ eyes, which many consider unnecessary. If Apple had taken this step earlier, it might have been a different story from the start.

Currently known under the codename N107, the reduced-cost model might feature a less powerful chip than the M2 that drives the Vision Pro, although even the current model strains that CPU to its limits. Additional cost-cutting measures may involve scaling back on the exterior passthrough capabilities and reducing the field of view. Nevertheless, such adjustments risk stripping away the very elements that distinguish the Vision Pro from the $500 Quest 3.

Further drastic options are on the table. Gurman, citing unnamed insiders, notes that Apple has even contemplated requiring the more affordable Vision to connect with an iPhone or Mac. Various products like the $1,800 Spacetop G1 and the recently launched Beam Pro by XReal similarly rely on external devices and wired connections for power, although these AR glasses are notably lighter than headsets. The Vision Pro’s design flaw of incorporating a wired, external battery pack was already contentious, and adding more wires would only diminish the next Vision’s practicality.

Looking to the future, Apple plans to debut a new and improved Vision Pro in 2026, known internally as N109. This forthcoming version aims to enhance wearability and processing power without losing what makes it one of the most visually stunning high-end headsets available—though still unaffordable for many.

Despite reducing their sales projections for the Vision series in 2025, Apple hasn’t given up on its mixed reality ambitions. Gurman reports that the company is still actively recruiting for its VR division. The grand vision, originally Tim Cook’s dream, involves creating true AR glasses, a goal that Apple’s team believes could still be years away.

While the Meta Quest 3 currently offers better value, Meta is shifting focus to products like the Meta Ray Bans, which are seeing unexpected popularity.

Despite showcasing some visionOS advances at the latest WWDC, Apple has yet to revive excitement for its debut VR headset. Several hurdles remain, such as comfort issues and high costs, making it a tough sell for many, particularly when a phone or laptop adequately meets most people’s work and entertainment needs. Making the headset depend on such external devices merely highlights how supplementary it is, compared to something portable enough to fit in your backpack or pocket.