Apple Halts Development of Expensive Vision Pro 2 Headset, Shifts Focus to More Affordable Model

[AleksandarK]

Apple has reportedly halted the development of its future Vision Pro 2 headset, opting instead to focus on a more affordable variant. The decision comes as the company grapples with the high production costs associated with the Vision Pro, which was released on February 2 in the US for $3,499 and will be released on July 12 in other countries. According to insiders familiar with the matter, Apple is not expected to manufacture more than 500,000 Vision Pro units this year, casting doubt on the device's ability to gain widespread adoption at such a premium price point. The tech giant's suppliers have already begun scaling back production, with one supplier reducing output by 50% in May due to forecasts of weaker-than-expected demand.

While the Vision Pro promised to deliver a groundbreaking mixed-reality experience, its excessive cost effectively priced it out of reach for the mass market. Recognizing this barrier, Apple has reportedly decided to abandon the development of the costlier "Pro 2" model and instead channel its efforts into creating a more budget-friendly "Vision" variant. The new device is expected to feature fewer cameras, simpler speaker systems, and a streamlined headband design, all aimed at reducing production costs. However, sources indicate that Apple is struggling to significantly lower the costs of key components, such as the display, which could further delay the launch of the successor model. Nevertheless, the company's goal is to create a mixed-reality headset priced around the level of a high-end iPhone, approximately $1,600, and launch the cheaper headset in late 2025.



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[Chaitanya]

That suprising not typical Apple method and might be a good direction(if they can also fix shortcoming of current model while at it).

 

[Totally]

That suprising not typical Apple method and might be a good direction(if they can also fix shortcoming of current model while at it).

This time around they don't have someone's homework to copy and polish then claim innovation. They've found themselves in an unfamiliar situation, this is typical behavior. Apple is probably starting sweat realizing they might have to admit that they have a dud on their hands they can't quietly make disappear.

 

[Vayra86]

That suprising not typical Apple method and might be a good direction(if they can also fix shortcoming of current model while at it).

Surprisingly similar to their Apple car if you ask me, I just came back from 2025 2026 2028 and they still didn't figure it out.

The company makes phones, computers and mp3 players. The best solution for cars they did get going was CarPlay. I think that tells us enough.

 

[bug]

Stupid users. They will only sell one kidney to buy iDevices and that's it. How can you conduct business in such a toxic environment?

 

[Noyand]

This time around they don't have someone's homework to copy and polish then claim innovation. They've found themselves in an unfamiliar situation, this is typical behavior. Apple is probably starting sweat realizing they might have to admit that they have a dud on their hands they can't quietly make disappear.

What do you mean? There were far more XR headsets to copy and polish than any multi-point tactile smartphone or tablet to copy or polish in the early 2000s.
It's also not the first time that they launched something that didn't do well:

• The Apple III: their first failure was riddled with software and hardware problems that made the thing borderline unusable
• Apple Lisa: So expensive, nobody bought it, they created the Mac that was worse, but far cheaper.
• iPod Hi-Fi: canceled after a year and a half
• Power Mac G4 cube: cancelled after a year
• Apple Newton: failed to find its target
• The Pippin: Lmao
• Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh: discounted at 75% because nobody wanted the thing

And there's even more stuff.

 

[R0H1T]

How can you conduct business in such a toxic environment?

You can always Buy Now Pay Later

Apple Discontinuing Apple Pay Later

 

[unwind-protect]

You can also interpret this move as Apple feeling Vision Pro being ready for the mass market.

 

[Fourstaff]

I was super impressed when I tried Apple Vision Pro. Could read my phone messages through the screen. Also, it tracks my head and eye movements much better than Meta Quest 3. The controls takes some time to get used to, but its quite intuitive. Unfortunately, that thing is too heavy, my head and neck couldn't last the entire 30 mins demo. I think if they make it lighter and cheaper it will become a game changer for long haul flights.

 

[persondb]

The question for me is if they are able to solve the issues that people had with the Vision Pro while cutting costs.

As I think that was the main bottleneck for the weak demand. If they were able to deliver then they could have achieved their 500k target despite the high cost.

A reduction in cost isn't going to help a lot in this kind of niche device in my view, as the market is already too small, specially since 'spatial computing' isn't really a thing for anyone yet.

 

[Philaphlous]

I'd buy it if it was WAYYY cheaper....lets see here, it's $3499 as of today... I'd buy it for....$1000 possibly. The tech, in theory, sounds great, that price tag is just too high of an entrance barrier. I'd even say for most people, you're never going to buy a $3500 screen let alone a laptop or desktop for that matter. Even a MAC! Personally I feel like the sweet spot for high tech stuff is around $800-$1700, anything more and you're in an elite enthusiast status that won't reach mass market.

 

[watzupken]

AR/VR headsets have been in the market for a long time. Just because Apple decides to slap their brand on an overpriced one, will not change the fact that the product itself is for a niche market. And to be honest, I don’t think Apple solved any of the issues that plagued previous AR/ VR headset around comfort and effects from prolong usage. They even made the battery a separate unit dangle at the side making it look silly as well. I don’t see anything change with the reduced price. It remains a niche product which not many will use in their day to day.

 

[colossusrageblack]

The lack of apps and software for it are a big factor. I could stomach buying a Quest 3 because of the library available in the Quest store, but also because of its ability to connect to a PC and have all of those games and apps available too. They want $3500 for something that has as much functionality as a Chromebook (maybe even less) without the entertainment apps that people want. I imagine you have to use Safari to watch something outside of Apple shows.

 

[bug]

AR/VR headsets have been in the market for a long time. Just because Apple decides to slap their brand on an overpriced one, will not change the fact that the product itself is for a niche market. And to be honest, I don’t think Apple solved any of the issues that plagued previous AR/ VR headset around comfort and effects from prolong usage. They even made the battery a separate unit dangle at the side making it look silly as well. I don’t see anything change with the reduced price. It remains a niche product which not many will use in their day to day.

Let's put it this way: people found it bothersome to keep the 3D glasses on in front of the TV, making people wear stuff that's 10x heavier is... adventurous, at best.
Add to that VR/AR also implies movement, you can't just use the headset in your desk chair. You need physical space in the room to make full use of it.

My prediction: for the foreseeable future, these will not break out of professional usage and people with enough income to afford a dedicate entertainment room.

 

[evernessince]

Apple just had no idea who this HMD was for. The advertising was clearly targeted at customers but how many people do they think have $3,500 laying around period, let alone for a device with the same functionality as a $200 laptop. Heck I'd argue it's worse than a $200 laptop because at least a $200 laptop will work with your other devices. This Apple HMD looses half it's features if you don't also have an Apple phone, watch, and laptop. Even as a VR enthusiast there's no way I can justify this much on a HMD, let alone one that's going to hate my PC because it's windows based and not Apple.

It's hard to justfiy for businesses as well due how closed and locked down it is, as per usual with Apple products.

It doesn't solve any of the problem with HMDs either and even adds some of it's own. The lense quality is poor, the FOV is poor, there's obvious motion blur, it's heavy, it requires an external battery, and it doesn't come with controllers. It's hand tracking system is nice for regular consumers who they've priced out and bad for anything that requires precision like design, engineering, art, ect.

I suppose this is why big companies buy up small competitors, because genuine innovation is hard while leveraging your position and capital in the market to corner and stifle innovation is easy.

 

[Chrispy_]

AR/VR headsets have been in the market for a long time. Just because Apple decides to slap their brand on an overpriced one, will not change the fact that the product itself is for a niche market. And to be honest, I don’t think Apple solved any of the issues that plagued previous AR/ VR headset around comfort and effects from prolong usage. They even made the battery a separate unit dangle at the side making it look silly as well. I don’t see anything change with the reduced price. It remains a niche product which not many will use in their day to day.

This, 100%!

Expensive headsets are nothing new.
Apple hasn't really solved any significant issues with the Vision Pro. In fact, they've tried to repurpose what a headset is for and invented a solution to problems that don't exist, have never existed, and probably will never exist.

The end result is that it's an expensive, flawed, awkward, incompatible offering with no killer feature that makes it a must-buy. The only sales Apple is likely to make from the Vision are the very wealthy Apple hardcore zealots who want to buy into everything Apple do without question, and to whom a $3500+ outlay is trivial disposable income of no consequence. I'm pretty sure Tim Cook knows this and I suspect very few Vision Pro headsets will ever be sold.

Unless Apple make dramatic changes to how it works, what you can do with it, and improve its compatibility with existing VR ecosystems, it's destined to vanish into obscurity regardless of the selling price.

 

[qlum]

VR is a niche as is, as impressive as the vision pro may be in some regards, apple has to buikd an ecosystem and the high price definitely gets in the way for them. Also not including vr controllers I feel is a big handicap, for a gaming / productivity use.

I feel like the path forward for Apple is narrow unless it finds pro niches it could exploit, for consumers it's just going to be and remain a tough sell.

 

[Chrispy_]

VR is a niche as is, as impressive as the vision pro may be in some regards, apple has to buikd an ecosystem and the high price definitely gets in the way for them. Also not including vr controllers I feel is a big handicap, for a gaming / productivity use.

I feel like the path forward for Apple is narrow unless it finds pro niches it could exploit, for consumers it's just going to be and remain a tough sell.

Mad expensive
Missing controllers
Incompatible with other ecosystems
No ecosystem of its own
Waaaay too slow to be a gaming device.

Like most reviewers, it's kinda hard to know what the Vision Pro is for, because it doesn't really work for anyone, right now, other than as a cool AR toy. Thing is, the Quest3 is an equally cool AR toy at 1/7th the price, and it also does all the gaming stuff that the Vision Pro can't....

So even if the Vision (non-Pro) 2 was released at 1/7th the price, to compete with a Quest3, you'd simply buy the Quest3 because it does far more than Apple's idea of what a headset should do, and it's from a much more experienced headset developer who understand things like ergonomics, weight, frame latency, battery life, and gaming. Apple needs a unique feature that's not a stupid 5-minute gimmick. They've got nothing right now.

 

[xorbe]

Even if it was $500, there's just no killer app for VR headsets. That's why my Vive Pro is in its box.

 

[Totally]

What do you mean? There were far more XR headsets to copy and polish than any multi-point tactile smartphone or tablet to copy or polish in the early 2000s.
It's also not the first time that they launched something that didn't do well:

• The Apple III: their first failure was riddled with software and hardware problems that made the thing borderline unusable
• Apple Lisa: So expensive, nobody bought it, they created the Mac that was worse, but far cheaper.
• iPod Hi-Fi: canceled after a year and a half
• Power Mac G4 cube: cancelled after a year
• Apple Newton: failed to find its target
• The Pippin: Lmao
• Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh: discounted at 75% because nobody wanted the thing

And there's even more stuff.

Those headsets don't yet have reason to exist and aren't trying to be a PC that you wear on your head. I also said "they can't quietly make disappear" Apple isn't nowhere near the position they were then compared to know they market any of those as heavily nor have as many eyeballs on them. Regardless on how you spin it they are caught out of position.

 

[Noyand]

There those headset aren't trying to be completely standalone self-contained units. I also said "they can't quietly make disappear" Apple isn't nowhere near the position they were then compared to know they market any of those as heavily nor have as many eyeballs on them.

HTC, Meta and Pico do have headsets designed first to work standalone...Yes, Those headsets can also work in tethered mode because they know that there's no real appeal for a standalone XR. So at least to get to repurpose them . The vision pro also got some level of integration with the Mac. So it's not completely stand-alone either. And people also managed to make it work with steam VR, So Apple can easily make that an official update if push comes to shove

Apple Vision Pro SteamVR Support Now Available Via App (uploadvr.com)

Mark Zuckerberg dreamt of a world where those headsets would replace our computers before the Vision Pro was a thing... the vision isn't a new take, it's just the most sophisticated standalone headset...But all those headsets suffer from the same problem: it's too damn bothersome, and too disconnected from reality no matter what they are trying to hype up. Even rich people got bored of the Vision Pro.
Meta wants to replace your PC with its Project Cambria VR headset (pcgamesn.com)

The only kind of tech that manages to become an everyday thing are techs that aren't too much of a bother to carry around and use. Until they manage to fit the tech into the sunglasses form factor, I'm not seeing this killing of laptops and desktops. Smartphones have arguments that allowed them to become a necessity for many people. What's the argument about XR besides being cool to play with? what can they do miles better than a phone and computers, to warrant them a place in everyday life?

(Apple is also a company that is very strict about its vision of what a product is supposed to be: convertible tactile laptops? not a thing. What,The iPad pro? No. It's a tablet, you won't get a proper KB/M interface because it's not supposed to replace a Macbook. macOS on an iPad? what are you talking about? Are you insane? )

 

[neoMM24]

Given the time it takes to develop such a device, they prob were fooled by Zuck that metaverse will be a thing back then.

But Google was onto something with their smol design - but still too early & expensive.
Those devices have to come down to like $100 to appeal to the mass market.

 

[mb194dc]

It's a hugely expensive product without a clear use case that would make almost anyone buy it. Even 1600 is too much.

Like a lot of the products we're seeing now, no one bothers to check if there's actually a big enough market to justify the cost.

 

[HeadRusch1]

It's a hugely expensive product without a clear use case that would make almost anyone buy it. Even 1600 is too much.

Like a lot of the products we're seeing now, no one bothers to check if there's actually a big enough market to justify the cost.

Apple specializes in sheets of glass. IMHO this is their way of trying to transition the working world away from monitors. I have VR for games, Apples product is like $2500 of "what is this actually good for again? What is my use-case scenario?". Not sure even they had a good use for it, so they do what they always do, they play coy and mysterious and "if you know, you know" and hope their market bites. This time the market went "Pass".

 

[Chrispy_]

Even if it was $500, there's just no killer app for VR headsets. That's why my Vive Pro is in its box.

I bought a used Samsung Odyssey headset years ago to play driving/flight sims and I've also grabbed Superhot VR, HL Alyx, and Lone Echo because they were mutli-award-winning VR experiences. VR gaming is the killer app, but there really aren't that many uniquely-good games that require VR to fully experience. From the various reviewers who actually used the Vision Pro for gaming, it's abysmal because getting it working tethered is a royal faff with a lot of latency, whilst the native games running on the headset are limited in both number and quality. The gesture tracking may be precise, but it's far too slow for gaming.

I've tried various things other than gaming - 3D movies, WMR surround desktops, and some 3D art/modelling apps but they're all basically worthless gimmicks that fail to hide the fact you're wearing a kilogram of plastic that both expels it's own heat from the electronics whilst stifling natural airflow to your own face. Nothing about wearing a VR headset is practical or comfortable long-term, and I don't even need glasses.