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

The Apple Vision Pro, with its staggering $3,500 price tag, hasn’t quite found its place in the VR market yet. While it boasts some of the best visuals and hand tracking available, the initial buzz has quickly fizzled out just months since its launch. A big reason for this is the steep price. So, the real question is, what needs to change to make it a viable competitor to the Meta Quest 3? It seems like the solution might involve stripping away the features that set the Vision Pro apart.

At Apple’s headquarters, the team is hard at work, reportedly crafting a more budget-friendly version of the Vision headset expected to hit the market next year. As mentioned in Mark Gurman’s report for Bloomberg, this new device could be priced between $1,500 and $2,000. Gurman outlines a few potential cost-cutting measures that Apple might employ. One proposal is to ditch the EyeSight display on the exterior, which reproduces the user’s eyes. Dropping this feature early on could have been a smart move, saving costs from the get-go.

This more affordable Vision headset, codenamed N107, may come equipped with a chip less powerful than the M2 found in the Vision Pro, which already pushes its limits. There’s also talk of scaling back the external passthrough capabilities and narrowing the field of view. However, if they go too far, they risk losing the elements that made the Vision Pro stand out against the $500 Quest 3.

Some options on the table are even less appealing. According to Gurman’s insider sources, Apple’s even contemplated making the lower-cost Vision reliant on an iPhone or Mac. Consider models like the $1,800 Spacetop G1 or XReal’s new Beam Pro, which need an external device and a wired connection to power their AR glasses. At least those are far lighter than a headset. Having more wires would only further limit the Vision’s potential, especially considering the Vision Pro’s already questionable wired battery pack design.

Looking ahead, a new iteration of the Vision Pro is slated for release in 2026 under the code name N109, as Gurman notes. This upcoming version is expected to focus on enhancing comfort and processing power, refining what already ranks among the most visually exceptional high-end headsets, despite its price putting it out of reach for many buyers.

Apple isn’t stepping back from its augmented reality dreams just yet. Gurman reports a continued hiring spree in the VR department, even if projections for Vision headset sales in 2025 have been dialed down. The ultimate goal, and a key part of CEO Tim Cook’s vision, is the development of true AR glasses, though Apple’s team believes this is still a distant reality.

While the Meta Quest 3 continues to offer greater value, Meta is also betting heavily on products like Meta Ray-Bans, which have outperformed initial expectations in popularity.

Despite the recent updates to visionOS showcased at WWDC, there’s been no resurgence of interest in Apple’s debut VR headset. Its limitations—ranging from discomfort to prohibitive pricing—make it a tough sell, particularly when a laptop or phone can easily fulfill most work and entertainment needs. Having to connect the headset to these devices would only emphasize how marginal it is compared to gadgets you can simply pop into your backpack or pocket.