Out of all the devices in Apple’s portfolio, the Vision Pro may be one of the more contentious ones. Since its release, it has been more of a niche product, largely due to its bulky build. While the tech giant has been working on versions that address some of these pain points, development has not been smooth sailing, to say the least. Still, it looks like Apple isn’t quite done with the idea yet, as a recent report suggests that it is working on a successor to the M5 Vision Pro.
This information comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman claimed that the bitten fruit brand is working on a completely revamped version of the headset. This project, codenamed N224, seems to focus on reducing the weight of the device, much like the Vision Air. For those unaware, the Vision Air was conceived as a lighter and more affordable version of the Vision Pro. Its development was put on hold as the company shifted its focus to smart glasses, but later reports suggested that Apple remains invested in the product.
With this in mind, N224 may not necessarily go the affordable route, though it could still be offered at a lower price while still retaining flagship features. One thing is for certain, though. The company recognises the importance of a lightweight build. As per Gurman’s report, the brand is exploring around four designs for the device. The first apparently retains the familiar egg-shaped form, but the company is exploring the use of plastic, titanium, and other materials to reduce the weight.
Another option is to offload some components to an external puck. Apparently, although the brand has been exploring this idea for a while, it’s not favoured by some executives. Said executives reportedly view this design as a “poor user experience” and would rather the company stick to an all-in-one build.
It is worth pointing out that the split design is exactly what Meta did with its recently unveiled VR Glasses. The resulting product weighs about 100g, making it considerably lighter than any headset. This smaller form factor should make the device appeal to the everyday consumer more.
Regardless, the new Vision Pro is unlikely to launch anytime soon. Gurman claimed that the work is “on life support”, and that the device will probably debut sometime between late 2028 and early 2029. Of course, this is assuming it launches at all. At the moment, Apple is prioritising its first smart glasses, which it may announce sometime next year.
