There have been a plethora of varying rumors for Apple’s next generation spatial computer. Is Apple prioritizing a cheaper model, or going all out with a second generation Pro model? We’ll summarize all of the Vision headset rumors here today.
Vision Pro replacement
There will be a second generation of Vision Pro in the near future, though it isn’t quite going to be what everyone would’ve expected.
Initial rumors for Apple Vision Pro 2 suggested a spec bump, with the product leaping from an M2 chip to an M5 chip. Said product would’ve launched sometime within the next year or so, with late 2025-early 2026 being the general rumored timeline.
That said, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has recently suggested that Apple is taking an alternative approach to Apple Vision Pro 2, with the product being more of a Mac companion than a stand-alone product:
Instead, it’s now working on a Vision Pro that plugs into a Mac. The difference between the two ideas is the level of immersion. The canceled device had transparent lenses; the product still in the works will use the same approach as the Vision Pro.
The idea is to create an ultra-low-latency system for streaming a user’s Mac display or for connecting to high-end enterprise applications.
Apple was previously working on a version of augmented reality glasses that would pair to a Mac, and it now sounds like Apple is trying to recreate that now-cancelled product in the form of a headset.
This headset will be ultra low latency, making it better for “streaming a user’s Mac display or for connecting to high-end enterprise applications.” Gurman notes that some high-end Vision Pro use cases include flight simulations and surgeon overlays, and Apple wants go further pursue this market.
Long-rumored Vision Air
There have been rumors about a cheaper Vision Pro from the moment the product launched, probably even before the product launched. We’ve been hearing about a so-called Vision Air product that reduces weight and price for quite some time now.
In more recent months, we’ve seen and heard a lot more, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman corroborates that Apple is indeed working on a cheaper and lighter Vision Pro. Though, he does note that tariffs might make it more difficult to work on price reductions.
Gurman doesn’t provide much detail on how Apple will make it lighter and cheaper, though he does note that Apple wants to resolve neck strain issues.
While the reporting isn’t completely clear, it appears that the “Vision Air” product will actually be the direct successor to Vision Pro, launching in late 2025-early 2026. It seems that the Vision Pro replacement will instead launch later, and focus more on enterprise markets.
Last month, we got some component leaks from Vision Air, highlighting a black colorway. This could suggest that the late 2025-early 2026 timeline for Vision Air is possibly accurate. Images come from Apple leaker Kosutami:
Glasses
While AR glasses aren’t immediately on the horizon, Apple CEO Tim Cook is reportedly “hell bent” on beating Meta to launching a pair of industry leading AR glasses.
However, in the interim, we do know that Apple is working on a pair of smart glasses. Think of Meta Ray-Bans, but Apple. They’ll be light glasses with cameras, speakers, mics, but no displays – making them perfect for interacting with AI. According to Gurman, such a product will launch in 2026.
Hopefully Siri and Apple Intelligence are all set by then.
My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:
- Anker MagSafe 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand with Qi2
- MOFT Magnetic Wallet Stand, fits up to 3 cards
- Logitech Brio 100 1080p Webcam for Mac
- AirTag 4-pack (on sale for 20% off!)
- SanDisk Extreme 2TB USB-C SSD, up to 1050MB/s
- Aulumu Vegan Leather Case for iPhone 16 Pro
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