Apple mulls cheaper mixed reality headset to challenge Meta

The Vsion Pro, Apple’s first mixed reality headset, isn’t yet available on the market – a release date is expected in early 2024 – but there’s already talk of a cheaper model. After all, a product whose base price in the US is $3,500 doesn’t have what it takes to become “mainstream”. Mark Gurman revealed the Cupertino giant’s intentions in his traditional Bloomberg newsletter “Power on.”

What will a cheap Vision Pro be like?

So Apple is thinking about a headset that could compete with Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Quest Pro – perhaps less forward-thinking, but offered at much lower prices. The basic idea would be to use a lower resolution display and processor for the iPhone rather than a much more powerful chip for the Mac. Eliminating the EyeSight functionality would also help reduce costs, which would clearly allow the user’s real eyes to be seen. The external cameras and sensors sector will also be significantly reduced. The cost, however, would not be so low, Gurman said, as such a product could sell for between $1,500 and $2,500. Not for all budgets.

Having said that the Vision Pro won’t be available on the market for a few months and that Cupertino understands the importance of focusing on an entry-level project to gain market share, it looks like the company is still thinking about a second generation Vision Pro to make it even more perfect. In particular, the goal is to make his headset smaller and more manageable. The possibility of fitting graduated lenses to people with visual impairments will also be explored.