Mark Gurman writes in its Switched on newsletter for Bloomberg today that the more affordable follow-up to the Apple Vision Pro will “likely” ditch the external display to help it reach an internally discussed price between $1,500 and $2,500. Gurman also reiterates what wrote in June – that the most affordable version will probably be powered by an iPhone-quality chip, have fewer cameras, and have lower-resolution displays inside.
Getting rid of the external display means Apple would lock one of the Vision Pro’s main features, EyeSight, behind the paywall for the more expensive versions. EyeSight is what allows you to see an on-the-fly representation of the user’s eyes so they can “look at you” when you talk to them so you can tell, at a glance, if they’re busy. or if they are really seeing what is in front of them.
Gurman writes that by deciding to prioritize releasing a more affordable version to the world, Apple shifted people toward it and away from its technically challenging AR glasses project.
Nothing in the price range Apple is supposedly discussing is “cheap,” although $1,500 is certainly more acceptable. But whether $2,500 seems like enough of a discount probably depends on whether an iPhone chip and other hardware changes can provide a good software experience. Especially if the company has any hope of attracting people who haven’t yet decided whether they want this kind of thing in their lives, a challenge that is far from unique to Apple.
