The Apple Vision Pro recently celebrated its first birthday, but the headphones may already be losing momentum: a new report suggests that Apple has stopped work on its high-end successor.
According to The Information, Apple “has told at least one supplier that it has suspended work on its upcoming high-end headphones.” The reason for the move? Apparently a contributing factor is that analysts and supply chain partners “have pointed to a slowdown in sales of the $3,500 device.”
That drop in sales is something we also heard last month from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, but it doesn't mean Apple is throwing in the towel on its 'spatial computing' headsets.
Information's sources suggest that the company is “still working on launching a more affordable Vision product” that will have fewer features than the current model and will arrive “before the end of 2025.”
Apparently Apple's original plan for its Vision line was to split it into 'Pro' and standard models, just like the iPhone. This move doesn't necessarily mean the end of that 'Pro' model, with The Information stating that “it's possible Apple could resume work on a high-end Vision product in the future.” However, it could have major implications for the mixed reality headset space.
Rumors have been ramping up about a high-end Meta Quest Pro 2 and a Samsung XR/VR headset, while Meta also announced in April that its Quest series Horizon OS will open to new headsets from Lenovo and Asus. Since the Vision Pro remains the standard-bearer for high-end mixed reality experiences, this rumored move by Apple could deflate the space and affect those projects.
A reality check for Vision Pro?
We recently learned at WWDC 2024 that Apple Vision Pro will finally launch globally in several countries at the end of June, plus some interesting new VisionOS 2 tricks.
That's not to suggest that Apple is slowing down the development of its 'front-end computer,' and it's important to note that this report from The Information remains just speculation. But the decision would coincide with other recent moves by Apple, such as the reported cancellation of the Apple Car project, and a $3,500 (or £2,800/AU$5,300) headset remains a tough sell in tough economic times.
TechRadar editor-at-large Lance Ulanoff recently summed up the Vision Pro conundrum by stating, “I love Apple's revolutionary headphones, so why do I rarely use them?” The problems, aside from the price, are that their incredible capabilities don't make the headset lighter or compensate for the “simple weirdness of wearing a computer on your face.”
It looks like Apple's next step will be to fix those issues with cheaper, lighter Vision headphones next year. Only then can you create the upgrade path to a Vision Pro 2 or a Vision Pro successor, which will hopefully recover from the cryogenic chamber Apple supposedly put it in, for now.
