Apple Looking To Ditch Sony For Its More Affordable Headset, The Cheaper “Apple Vision” Could Also Feature Less Advanced Displays To Keep Costs Down

Apple’s Vision Pro is a capable device in all respects, but the hefty price tag makes it a difficult purchase. This means that no matter how good the product is, it will be bound to fail if the end user will not be able to get their hands on it. To tackle the stalling sales and adoption of the Vision Pro, Apple is now planning to launch more budget-friendly variants of the headset. To achieve this feat, the company must make some compromises, and a new report shares two ways Apple could bring the price down.

The Apple Vision could feature less-advanced displays and sourcing components beyond Sony

This is not the first time that we have heard details on Apple’s plans to make a cheaper AR headset, but there have been little details on how the company plans to execute its decision. We know for a fact that the affordable Vision Pro will lack a few aspects compared to the first-gen headset, potentially fewer cameras and sensors. However, the company’s research team could work to bridge the gap without impacting the functionality and overall user experience.

Taiwanese Research firm TrendForce notes that the affordable headset could be called the “Apple Vision” minus the ‘Pro’ moniker as the company would see fit to reserve it for its flagship variants. With that said, could Apple be looking to create feature-based segregation, as it did with the Apple Watch and the iPhone lineup?

One way Apple plans to reduce production costs is by sourcing components for the headset outside Sony, which could allow the company to bring down the cost of production. Apple already knows that the Vision Pro is not a mass-market product due to its price, which means it must be working to bring the price down if it wants the device to become a mainstream product like the iPhone, Apple Watch, and the Mac.

Another reason the report mentions is that the company could opt for less advanced displays compared to the current version. While it could bring the price down, it could also shift the user experience and perspective, which could ultimately have an impact on the sales of the headset. However, the Vision Pro 2 will continue to feature a hi-res display with more than 3,000 pixels per inch.

“Possible display options for this model include glass-based OLED displays and LCDs with LTPO backplane technology, both of which offer a balance between performance and cost.”

Apple has not broken any records with the sale of the Vision Pro, and it will continue to stay where it is unless it introduces a mainstream, less expensive headset. The Apple Vision could make a dent in the AR/VR industry when it comes to adoption, and the company’s competitors will follow, opening more doors for practical use cases. Do you think the Apple Vision will be priced above the $1,500 mark?