The cheaper Apple Vision Pro could come with these big compromises β and make the Meta Quest 3 look like a bargain
The Apple Vision Pro is one of the best VR headsets you can buy, but all that power comes with a significant price tag β and a new report has shed light on how a cheaper Apple Vision could significantly lower that asking price, if nothing would happen almost as low as the Meta Quest 3.
Writing in his Power On NewsletterBloomberg’s Mark Gurman has shared some key ideas that Apple has apparently considered for its cheaper Vision Pro. That includes using a narrower field of view and lowering the specs of the Vision Pro’s internal displays, as well as reducing the visual fidelity of the passthrough images that show the world around you when you use augmented reality mode of the headset.
Gurman also noted some other, more radical ways that Apple is apparently considering lowering the price of the Vision Pro. One such idea would be removing the EyeSight feature, which shows the headset wearer’s eyes to those around them – something Gurman previously said Apple was considering. That move would certainly be fine with us, as it’s arguably one of the Vision Pro’s worst features (although it’s a nice idea in theory).
Additionally, Gurman believes Apple could require its cheaper headset to be tethered to a Mac or iPhone to shift the processing power away from the Vision Pro, which could significantly reduce its portability. That would be a radical change, but one that could transform it into an accessory that gives your Mac multiple virtual displays.
How much would the Apple Vision cost?
These measures would all help Apple reduce the cost of the Vision Pro, and Gurman reveals how much cheaper it could be. Apparently the Apple Vision could cost around $1,500 to $2,000 β well below the $3,499 (about Β£2,760 / AU$5,250) price of the existing model, but also much higher than the Meta Quest 3 (which starts at $499 / Β£479). /AU$799).
But that still causes Apple some glaring problems. Firstly, the headset would still be very unaffordable for many people and require a significant investment for what would likely still be a very niche product.
In addition, Gurman points out that you would have to pay for a much less enticing experience. βEven at $1,500,β says Gurman, βthe product would cost three times as much as competing devices from Meta Platforms Inc. β without the technological advances that made the Vision Pro superior to the competition.β
This project is now the main focus of Apple’s Vision Products Group, Gurman says, putting it ahead of a second-generation (and more expensive) Vision Pro. But with a planned launch date of late 2025, there isn’t much time left for Apple to find a cheaper headset β and get the Vision Pro back on track.