The cheaper version of the Apple Vision Pro has now become the focus of the tech giant’s mixed reality offensive, following recent reports that work on its direct successor has been halted. Although Apple has been working on this version for years, it is running into a major obstacle – reducing costs while retaining the product’s core features.
The affordable Apple Vision Pro is expected to be priced between $1,500 and $2,000, with an initial launch schedule for 2025.
Previously, it was reported that the slightly more affordable version of the Apple Vision Pro would cost between $1,500 and $2,500. Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has provided an update in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter. The unnamed device is codenamed N107 and is expected to launch sometime in 2025, with Apple’s original launch intentions not budging an inch after the official launch of the $3,499 headset. However, the Cupertino company has encountered issues that will most likely challenge the unveiling timeline, such as cost-cutting.
Apparently, Apple can’t lower the price of the budget Apple Vision Pro without sacrificing key features. Previously, we reported that the company is exploring other ways to reduce component costs, such as switching from a Mac chipset to an iPhone, using a lower-quality, lower-resolution display, fewer cameras, and doing away with EyeSight. On this occasion, Gurman reports that these measures remain on Apple’s cost-cutting list, but that doing so could potentially compromise the user experience, leading to fewer buyers purchasing the budget variant.
There are other ways to reduce the financial burden on future buyers, but none of those options are ideal. One of the prototypes, for example, has a narrower field of view compared to the more expensive version. The company is also considering connecting the upcoming head-mounted wearable to a Mac or iPhone. This approach could save Apple money on the processing power and components needed to make the cheaper device a fully standalone product. However, continuing to tether it to another Apple product is not an optimistic scenario.
Fortunately, the company still has months to figure out how to navigate these obstacles. While the talented team of engineers has had its share of internal conflicts, they are still united by a single goal: to create the best consumer-facing products in the world.
