Instead of the second version of its flagship Vision Pro product, Apple has directed its efforts towards developing a more affordable and budget-friendly augmented reality headset. The company reduced the number of employees working on the second-generation Vision Pro and suspended contracts with component suppliers. Based on an investigation by The Information, reports MacRumor’s publication.
Previously, Apple was planning to launch two sets of headphones – the flagship Vision Pro and a more budget-friendly model. However, the company has now reduced the development priority of Vision Pro 2. Apple has focused on making the current-generation Vision Pro’s components cheaper and creating an updated display for the next budget model.
According to sources, Apple started working on the budget version of the augmented reality glasses codenamed N109 in 2022. The goal was to sell this model at around $1,600, the price of top-end iPhones. The original launch plan for the new model was for late 2024, but the prototype was never completed. Now Apple is trying to reduce the cost of the device as much as possible without losing basic functions, which will probably delay the announcement until at least the end of 2025.
The budget model will have the same high-quality displays as the first-generation Vision Pro but will be equipped with fewer cameras, a simpler head mount and less powerful speakers. In addition, the new gadget will be a third times lighter than the flagship model.
Previous iOS 18 update for iPhone made Apple smartphones are 25% more powerful.