Apple planning new affordable Vision headset as iPhone accessory: Report

The new product will reportedly feature a display and a battery, while sending data to a paired iPhone for processing

Apple is reportedly considering the launch of a more affordable version of its Vision Pro mixed reality headset, designed to function as an accessory for iPhones. A report by 9To5Mac, citing Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, indicates that Apple is “seriously considering” the development of a Vision line headset that utilises the processing power of the iPhone.

 

Unlike the standalone Apple Vision Pro, this model is expected to include only a display and a battery, transferring all data to a paired iPhone for computation. This new product is anticipated to be more accessible than the Vision Pro, featuring a lower price point and compatibility with iPhones. Gurman noted that this headset “would reinforce the iPhone as the centre of Apple’s product ecosystem.”

Previously, it was reported that Apple aimed to launch a cheaper version of the Vision Pro in 2025, equipped with a less powerful processor and fewer premium features. However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that Apple has delayed this model until 2027, suggesting that the company may prioritise the Vision accessory for iPhones over a standalone, more affordable Vision Pro headset.

 

In a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Kuo explained that Apple believes merely lowering the price would not create a successful use case for a standalone headset. This implies that the company is leaning towards the Vision accessory as a more viable option instead of pursuing a less expensive standalone model.

 

Kuo also mentioned that Apple could launch a second-generation model of the Vision Pro headset next year, featuring a new M5 processor.