Apple Working On Cheaper Vision Pro

Apple has been working on a cheaper version of its Vision Pro VR headset, announced for the first half of 2024, for some time. Now we hear that the US computer company wants to do without the external display and use a more economical chip.

Features are being deleted for cost reasons

The Apple Vision Pro is anything but cheap, with an expected recommended price of around $3,500. Apple therefore wants to delete a number of features from the top model in a planned cheaper edition of its new VR headset in order to reduce the costs and thus also the selling price. As can now be heard from Mark Gurman, who works as an Apple expert at Bloomberg and has excellent connections to Cupertino, Apple wants, among other things, to delete the external display integrated into the normal Apple Vision Pro. In order to make the cheaper model possible, the costs should be reduced. At the same time, it can be assumed that the displays inside the new Vision headset will also have a lower resolution.

Apple is also said to be aiming to use a weaker processor for the cheaper model without an EyeSight display and with fewer high-resolution internal displays. Instead of a chip normally found in MacBooks, the cheaper model will come with a chip developed for the iPhone. Accordingly, standalone operation will not be planned initially, so a host device in the form of a Mac or MacBook will still be required.

As for rumors about a possible standalone model of the Vision Pro or even so-called “Apple Glasses” for independent operation without a host device, Gurman’s latest report puts all hopes to rest. Apple has decided against such a plan for the time being because the technical challenges are said to be too high. It is said that the developers previously entrusted with the project will now be used to strengthen the teams behind the cheaper model of the Apple Vision Pro.