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

The Apple Vision Pro, with its hefty $3,500 price tag, is struggling to captivate audiences in the crowded VR market. Initially, it wowed with its top-notch visuals and hand tracking, yet the excitement around it has significantly fizzled out just a few months post-launch. Undoubtedly, the steep cost is a major factor. So, what steps could Apple take to reduce the price and make it a worthy rival to the Meta Quest 3? Surprisingly, it may involve removing the very features that give the Vision Pro its edge.

Inside Apple’s futuristic headquarters, there’s a buzz of activity as the team reportedly works on a more budget-friendly version of the Vision headset, expected to hit the shelves next year. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests this upcoming model might be priced between $1,500 and $2,000. Apple might lower costs by scrapping features like the exterior EyeSight display—a quirky addition that replicates users’ eyes. If Apple had opted out of this feature from the get-go, perhaps the device could have launched with a more palatable price tag.

The prototype of this more economical Vision headset is known as N107. Apple might swap the M2 chip for a less powerful one in these new devices, even though the M2 already reaches its limits in the high-priced Vision Pro. The company might also scale back on external passthrough capabilities and restrict the field of view, although doing so could strip away what makes the Vision Pro distinctive when compared to the $500 Quest 3.

There are other, more concerning options on the table. According to Gurman and his unnamed sources, Apple has mulled the idea of requiring the budget Vision to connect to an iPhone or Mac. Other devices like the $1,800 Spacetop G1 and XReal’s Beam Pro demand similar external power boosts via a wired connection to function, though those devices are considerably lighter than a hefty headset. One of the Vision Pro’s downfalls was its wired external battery pack—a scenario worsened by adding more wires to the mix, potentially hindering the headset’s complete functionality.

Looking ahead, a new iteration of the Vision Pro is on the horizon for 2026. Reportedly codenamed N109, this future model might only need tweaks to improve comfort and processing power, maintaining its status as one of the best-looking high-end headsets, albeit out of reach for the average consumer.

Apple isn’t packing up its dreams of altered reality just yet. Gurman indicates the tech giant continues to hire for its VR team even as analysts predict lower Vision sales in 2025. The long-term goal, according to CEO Tim Cook’s original vision, leans towards genuine AR glasses—a venture still several years down the road, as per Apple staff.

Meanwhile, Meta continues to offer a more enticing package with the Meta Quest 3, though its focus is shifting towards successful ventures like the Meta Ray Bans, which have unexpectedly gained traction among users.

Despite all the updates and improvements showcased at Apple’s WWDC, there hasn’t been any newfound excitement for their first VR headset. Between discomfort issues and the daunting price, many consumers remain unconvinced. When a laptop and a phone suffice for most daily tasks and entertainment, tethering the headset to one of these only underlines its secondary nature compared to gadgets that fit snugly into a backpack or pocket.