Apple Vision Pro Successor Could Feature An In-House 5G Modem, But It Will Not Arrive Next Year When The Second-Generation Version Ships With The M5

As production of the Apple Vision Pro comes to a halt, there are likely a myriad of decisions being made behind closed doors as to what approach the technology giant can take to elevate the mixed-reality experience for users. While the AR headset is one of the most advanced pieces of technology, there is always room for improvement, starting with finding ways to reduce that ludicrous pricing. However, according to a new report, Apple is exploring ways to see if its in-house 5G modem, a crucial component that will likely be found in a host of future devices, can be outfitted in a device like this.

Using the custom 5G modem in a future Apple Vision Pro is just the beginning, as smart glasses could eventually ship with this component after a few years

If the majority of readers are excited that an Apple Vision Pro successor launching next year with the M5 will feature the firm’s custom 5G modem, then you will be disappointed to learn that this is not a part of the plan. Instead, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, there is a discussion being held regarding bringing cellular connectivity to headsets, but that is just the start of something exceptional. Eventually, a component like this could be used in future Apple-branded AR glasses, but as you would expect, a product like this is years away.

Before this in-house baseband chip debuts in a pair of smart spectacles, Apple will likely introduce AR glasses that can be tethered to an iPhone to offload some of the computing resources away from the device. However, a reality where the Cupertino behemoth has its in-house 5G modem running in almost all of its devices is not far off. After all, we have reported that the company is finding ways to bring cellular connectivity to Macs, and it aims to beat Qualcomm in 5G modem performance with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which are said to debut with mmWave baseband chips.

There are several use cases in which an Apple Vision Pro with a 5G modem could be the perfect pairing. Firstly, using an in-house chip means that the headset will be smaller and, as a result, lightweight. Furthermore, you do not have to remain tethered to an iPhone for wireless connectivity as you can freely connect using the Apple Vision Pro. Then again, keep in mind that the company is just exploring a concept and can decide to scrap the idea if it does not make sense commercially. For now, we will recommend our readers to treat this report with a pinch of salt and we will be back with more updates.

News Source: Bloomberg