An Apple Vision Pro successor may need to be tethered to an iPhone or Mac

A new report says that a more mass-market and lower-cost version of the Apple Vision Pro headset won’t be as much of a stand-alone device as the existing model is.

Apple has been working on prototypes of a lower-cost AR/VR headset, following the debut of its original version. The future device is rumored to cut costs by narrowing the field of vision and other changes.

The major savings will come from requiring it be tethered to an iPhone or Mac for its computing power.

Such a move would both dramatically reduce the weight as well as the cost, along with an all-new design. Prototypes of the device, codenamed N107, are already being developed.

Bloomberg’s latest “Power On” newsletter has suggested that the lower-cost version would be called “Apple Vision” to distinguish it from the existing Apple Vision Pro.

One possible change in the lower-cost model would be to remove the EyeSight feature that shows the user’s eyes to people in the room. Reducing the quality of the internal VR screens has also been considered, according to reports.

While a price range of $1,500 to $2,000 has been suggested, Bloomberg reports that the company hopes to debut the lower-priced version by the end of 2025. It is still unclear if the lower price will improve demand for the spatial-computing headset.

Work on the next-generation version of the self-contained Apple Vision Pro, codenamed N109, is also proceeding — contrary to previous rumors. The second-gen Apple Vision Pro is expected to support faster processors — given that the M4 is already shipping in the iPad Pro. Also expected are improved external cameras.

The company hopes to reduce the weight and increase the comfort of the otherwise similar-looking version of the Apple Vision Pro. The new unit is thought to be unlikely to debut before late 2026.