Apple working on affordable second-gen Vision Pro headset lineup: Report

Apple has reportedly started working on the second generation of its mixed-reality Vision Pro headset. According to a report by DigiTimes Asia, the American tech giant is in the process of preparing the production plan for the second generation of Vision Pro headset.

The second generation of the Vision Pro lineup is expected to include four models, one of which will be targeting the high-end market, similar to the first generation. The other headsets in the lineup will offer a mixed bag of features but will be more affordable.

According to the report, the Bill of Materials (BoM) for this cost-effective version is expected to be just 50 per cent of that required for the first generation.

The report suggested that sampling for the second generation of Vision Pro headset is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2024. This could allow a potential launch as early as the second half of 2025.

In addition to this development, Apple is also reportedly planning to develop AR glasses similar to Meta’s Smart Glasses, which were announced earlier this year.

Recently, Apple analyst Mark Gurman reported that the launch date for the first generation of Vision Pro headset, which was scheduled for January next year, has been pushed to March due to difficulties with manufacturing the device.

In his Power On newsletter, Gurman said that the American tech giant "still needs to get its distribution plans in shape and conduct further testing." According to some news reports, the Apple Vision Pro headset has such a complex internal design that Apple has been forced to make drastic cuts to its production forecast. 

Apple will reportedly make fewer than 400,000 units in 2024, with the initial launch only catering to the US market. The mixed-reality headset will gradually be introduced in other regions, with a global launch by the end of the year.