Photo credit: Andrea Copellino
There are reports suggesting that Apple is aiming for a cheaper Vision Pro headset, possibly called the Vision Air, priced at around $1,500–$2,000. This would put it in the ballpark of a high-end iPhone, making it more consumer-friendly but still not exactly budget gear.
Reaching this price point means some cost cutting measures including lower-resolution displays, which are rumored to be dual 2.1-inch OLED panels with ~1,700 pixels per inch (ppi), down from the Vision Pro’s 3,400 ppi. It would also swap the M2 chip for something like an iPhone-grade A-series chip, or even offloading processing to a tethered iPhone/Mac.
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That external display showing your eyes to others? Likely gone to save costs and reduce weight. As for materials, we may be looking at less premium aluminum and glass, as well as lighter plastics, to cut both cost and the headset’s hefty 1.5-pound weight.
When should we expect such a headset? Technology journalist Mark Gurman claims a launch could happen as early as late 2025 or early 2026, aligning with the holiday shopping window. Others, like analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, throw cold water on that, saying Apple’s delayed the low-cost model to 2027 or beyond, due to weak Vision Pro sales.
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