Apple rethinks Vision Pro as it explores a lighter next-generation headset

21:40

By: Azzat Manal

Apple rethinks Vision Pro as it explores a lighter next-generation headset

Apple is continuing to explore the future of its Vision Pro headset despite the challenges that have limited the product’s appeal since its launch, with the company now considering several radically different designs for a possible next-generation device.

The Vision Pro, introduced in 2024 as Apple’s entry into spatial computing, attracted attention for its advanced displays, tracking capabilities and immersive interface. However, its high price, substantial weight and relatively limited range of applications have made it difficult for the headset to reach a broader consumer market.

Apple is now reportedly working on a new project, codenamed N224, that could significantly reshape the Vision Pro concept. According to Bloomberg reporting cited by several technology publications, the company is examining around four different designs as it looks for ways to reduce the headset’s weight and improve its usability.

One of the concepts would move major computing components outside the headset into a separate module. Such an approach could reduce the amount of hardware that users have to wear on their heads, although some Apple decision-makers reportedly have concerns about the user experience of an external computing unit. Another concept would retain a more conventional all-in-one design while using different materials, including lighter alternatives, to reduce the overall weight.

The project remains at an early stage, and Apple has not committed to a final design or confirmed a release date. Current reports indicate that, if the project moves forward, a new headset may not arrive until late 2028 or early 2029. The company’s earlier plans for a lighter and cheaper device, reportedly associated with the Vision Air concept, were previously scaled back.

The uncertainty surrounding the Vision Pro comes as Apple reassesses its broader strategy in wearable computing. The company has also been reported to be developing smart glasses that would rely more heavily on artificial intelligence and connectivity with other Apple devices, potentially opening a different path into the wearable technology market.

Competition is also changing rapidly. Meta recently introduced a $1,299 virtual-reality headset designed with a glasses-like form factor. Unlike traditional headsets that keep most of their computing hardware on the user's head, Meta’s new device places the processor, cooling system and battery in an external unit, allowing the headset itself to be lighter.

Meta’s move highlights one of the central challenges facing Apple: balancing advanced computing capabilities with comfort and affordability. The current Vision Pro starts from a significantly higher price point, while its physical size and weight remain important considerations for extended use.

Apple nevertheless continues to support the Vision Pro platform and visionOS, which the company sees as part of its longer-term spatial-computing strategy. The technology has potential applications beyond entertainment, including professional training, design, industrial work, education and specialised medical environments.

For Apple, the next stage of the Vision project will therefore involve more than simply updating the existing headset. The company is exploring different approaches to hardware architecture, weight distribution and wearable computing as it considers how spatial technology could evolve into a more accessible category.

The development of N224 remains uncertain, and Apple could still change or abandon the project before a commercial launch. For now, the company’s work on multiple concepts shows that it is continuing to reassess the role of head-mounted computing while simultaneously exploring lighter and more conventional smart-glasses formats.