Apple rethinking strategy for Vision Pro amid Meta's growing influence
What's the story
Apple is apparently taking a fresh look at its plans for the Vision Pro, its mixed-reality headset, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
This comes as a reaction to Meta's growing foothold in the market, especially after launching its budget-friendly Quest 3S headset, showcasing Orion AR Glasses, and announcing a bunch of new features.
In his 'Power On' newsletter, Gurman reveals that the Vision Products Group at Apple is diving into a bunch of possible directions for their device.
New model
Budget-friendly version of Vision Pro
Apple's toying with an interesting strategy for the Vision Pro. They're thinking of keeping it as a high-end product but also rolling out a more budget-friendly version.
This cheaper headset would use less pricey materials but would still pave the way for an upgraded Pro model.
Expectations for this new model hint at just a few tweaks, mainly a boost in processing speed with Apple Intelligence, and a lower-spec version aimed at regular consumers.
Smart display
Apple could transform headset into a smart display
Another possible route for Apple is to turn the headset into something more like a smart display.
This means ditching the computer component and external battery from the device, making it lighter and cheaper to produce.
The processing duties would then be handed over to an iPhone, which would further tie in with Apple's product ecosystem.
Smart glasses
Venturing into smart glasses territory
Apple's also eyeing a shift toward smart glasses, kinda like what Meta's doing with Ray-Ban.
There's also a twist to this idea—how about smart glasses that don't even have actual glass?
This fits right in with the whispers about an upcoming AirPods Pro model that's said to pack in external cameras and AI, making it possible to offer a bunch of smart glasses features to everyone.
Ultimate goal
AR glasses with all possible features
Apple's most daring move yet? Crafting AR glasses that pack in every imaginable feature.
We're talking high-performance lenses, a battery, an onboard computer, cameras, eye tracking, and a whole lot more—all within a pair of regular-looking glasses frames.
This concept is reportedly a dream project for CEO Tim Cook. But here's the kicker: Apple once hit the brakes on a similar project because it was just too complicated. Remember Apple's self-driving electric car?