TECH NEWS – A new variant of Apple’s AR headset is about to hit the shelves, but it’s not quite what you’d expect.

Apple is inching closer to releasing a successor to the Vision Pro, and this time, the headset will not only be more powerful but also more comfortable. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported on this. Gurman claims that the Vision Pro 2 release is imminent and that we could see it unveiled alongside the new M5 MacBook Pro or iPad Pro models. Apple will first unveil the iPhone 17 lineup at a dedicated event in September, then, in the coming months, will announce the M5 MacBook Pro models. We believe that the Vision Pro 2 will be released later, together with the Macs, rather than with the iPhones.

According to Gurman, the Vision Pro 2 will be equipped with an M4 chip, which will provide a significant performance boost compared to the currently used M2 chip. Since the company is releasing the product with the announcement of the M5 chip, renowned industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the device should be equipped with the same chip, as that would make more sense. However, the M4 chip would still be a significant step in the right direction, as the system-on-a-chip (SoC) is powerful when it comes to computing and graphics performance. Apple Intelligence could also be rolled out on the Vision Pro in the future, and the M4 chip will make sure the hardware remains relevant going forward.

In addition to improved performance, the Vision Pro 2 will also feature a significantly redesigned headband for greater comfort. This is a particularly important innovation for users who use the headset for extended periods. While the headset’s weight and headband have been a major drawback for some users, the company has no plans to make the device lighter. The redesigned iteration of the Vision Pro may address this issue, but the second generation will remain unchanged in all aspects except for its internals.

According to Gurman, a more affordable, budget version of the Vision Pro may arrive as early as 2027, which could make the augmented reality (AR) experience accessible to the masses. Currently, because of the $3,499 price tag, only a narrow group of people is interested, and demand is nowhere near the level of other Apple products.

Source: WCCFTech, Bloomberg