It’s been simply over two years since Apple unveiled its revolutionary new spatial computing headset, the Imaginative and prescient Professional, throughout its 2023 Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC), and now studies are circulating that it has a successor within the works, which may arrive later this yr.
The Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional went on sale within the US in February 2024, progressively increasing to a number of different international locations over the course of the yr. The headset generated loads of curiosity amongst early adopters, however acquired a lukewarm response past that group. Even many who jumped on the spatial computing imaginative and prescient early on discovered themselves experiencing purchaser’s regret because the headset didn’t reside as much as the dream.
To be honest, Apple by no means anticipated to hit one out of the park with the first-generation Imaginative and prescient Professional. Insiders stated that Apple had solely anticipated gross sales of half one million items at most — a goal that it has successfully met.
It’s been so lengthy since we’ve seen Apple enter a brand new class that it’s simple to neglect the Imaginative and prescient Professional adopted the identical playbook because the Apple Watch and even the iPhone. Each of these gadgets had been launched with restricted options and bought extra to fanatic audiences. Mainstream shoppers gave the 2007 iPhone and 2015 Apple Watch a tough go, and lots of pundits panned each gadgets, very similar to they’ve with the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional over the previous yr.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t tough to see the purpose of the iPhone and the Apple Watch. The primary variations might have been restricted, however they had been in a class that crammed a necessity. It’s debatable whether or not we are able to say the identical concerning the Imaginative and prescient Professional, or if Apple is merely a lot farther forward of the curve than ordinary. The iPhone was attempting to redefine a cell computing paradigm (and it succeeded); the Imaginative and prescient Professional is attempting to create a wholly new one.
What’s Subsequent for the Imaginative and prescient Professional?
We are able to debate whether or not the Imaginative and prescient Professional is sensible or well worth the asking worth, however there’s no arguing that it’s revolutionary and magical. Apple pulled out all of the stops in designing and constructing the Imaginative and prescient Professional. That’s why it’s considerably pricier than another headset, however that is evident in each side, from the economic design to the consumer expertise.
If something, it’s the software program that’s the headset’s weakest hyperlink. Apple has been quick and livid in delivering new capabilities by visionOS updates, however third-party builders haven’t been practically as desirous to embrace the platform.
One other factor holding the Imaginative and prescient Professional again is that Apple has packed in a lot expertise that it’s unbearably heavy to put on, particularly for prolonged durations. Individuals with sturdy necks might not thoughts, however the “headache-inducing” weight has been one of many high causes clients have been dissatisfied with the headset, and it was one of many high 5 causes cited for returning it to Apple.
In fact, we can also’t ignore the elephant within the room: the $3,500 asking worth. By all accounts, Apple isn’t making a ton of cash on the Imaginative and prescient Professional; that’s simply how a lot it prices to pack in so many cameras, sensors, and 8K shows. Having tried the Imaginative and prescient Professional, I can affirm that this reveals within the expertise, but it surely’s additionally simple to see the way it’s excess of most individuals are prepared to pay. A Porsche 911 GT3 is a really well-engineered automotive that justifies its excessive price ticket, but it surely’s overkill for most individuals.
We’ve heard rumors that Apple has had a lower-cost model of the headset deliberate since earlier than the Imaginative and prescient Professional was unveiled, but it surely’s by no means been clear exactly what these plans had been. Reviews have flip-flopped over the previous yr, from ones that stated Apple was actively exploring a lower-cost model and placing the second-gen Imaginative and prescient Professional on the again burner to contradictory studies that declare it’s reconsidering the lower-cost model and focusing as an alternative on methods to enhance the flagship mannequin.
Though a extra inexpensive commonplace headset appears inevitable — a “Imaginative and prescient Air” to the “Imaginative and prescient Professional,” if you’ll — newer studies counsel that Apple continues to be extra dedicated to getting the “Imaginative and prescient Professional 2” out. In September, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that an M5-powered Imaginative and prescient Professional may arrive in late 2025, a prediction extra not too long ago corroborated by an April report suggesting that the brand new headset is already in manufacturing.
This week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman weighed in with a report that basically confirms this info with just one comparatively small caveat. Based on Gurman, the up to date Imaginative and prescient Professional will characteristic the M4 chip, which is at the moment used within the iPad Professional and MacBook Professional, relatively than the M5 that Kuo predicted.
That’s nonetheless going to be a wholesome replace over the M2 chip discovered within the present Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, which was already driving into the sundown when the Imaginative and prescient Professional went on sale final yr. In the present day, the one present machine that also makes use of any type of the M2 chip is the Mac Professional, which was introduced on the similar 2023 WWDC keynote because the Imaginative and prescient Professional, and makes use of the extra highly effective M2 Extremely. It’s additionally now the oldest Mac that Apple nonetheless sells.
When Kuo predicted the transfer to the M5 chip, he additionally added that this was anticipated to be the one vital change to the second-generation Imaginative and prescient Professional. Gurman corroborates that, saying that the main focus will likely be on the quicker processor and “elements that may higher run synthetic intelligence,” suggesting that Apple might enhance the variety of cores contained in the neural engine.
Nevertheless, the bodily design of the Imaginative and prescient Professional is anticipated to stay unchanged. This implies it’ll doubtless be as heavy and dear as the unique mannequin. Apple is seeking to tackle this, Gurman says, by growing new straps to assist take the load off.
The corporate can also be prototyping new straps which are designed to cut back neck pressure and head ache. Discomfort from the roughly 1.4-pound machine has been one of many greatest complaints concerning the first Imaginative and prescient Professional. The hope is to handle that drawback with out meaningfully decreasing the burden of the {hardware} — at the very least with the primary replace.
Mark Gurman
Apple seems to be taking a measured strategy in growing the Imaginative and prescient Professional. “The second technology’s minor adjustments are unlikely to make the headset a client hit,” Gurman says, however Apple is hoping that the transfer to an M4 and the brand new options in visionOS 26 will entice company clients and app builders to get on board.
In the end, evidently the “Imaginative and prescient Professional 2” will function a placeholder to purchase Apple extra time to develop its lighter and cheaper “Imaginative and prescient Air” mannequin, which isn’t anticipated to be prepared till at the very least 2027.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]