Apple launched its first mixed-reality headset in February 2024. After a few months, rumors circulated that Apple had shelved the second-generation Vision Pro, to prioritize a cheaper headset. However, recent rumors suggest a different story. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is working on its next-generation Vision Pro, which is expected to enter mass production in the second half of 2025.
Kuo says the main highlight of the Vision Pro 2 would be the inclusion of Apple’s M5 chipset, making it a substantial upgrade over the first Vision Pro with M2 chip. While we don’t have many details on the M5 processor, the jump from the M2 to the M5 should take computing power to a whole new level and offer the best of Apple Intelligence features. Of course, the announced M5 processor will outperform the already powerful M4 chipset, which is the latest in Apple’s Silicon lineup.
It is worth knowing that despite powerful components, the overall design and other hardware specifications will likely remain the same. This could help Apple manage production costs. However, the price of the Vision Pro 2 is expected to match that of the first-generation model, which has a starting price of $3,499. We’ve also heard rumors that Apple is planning to release a cheaper version of Vision Pro with a lower-resolution screen, but there’s no sign of the expected release date at the moment.
Kuo mentioned that the price of the M5 Vision Pro might not change much, but Apple could deploy a smart strategy and create compelling use cases to achieve mainstream adoption. This became more than necessary after the poor sales of the first Vision Pro. He also points out that Apple could integrate something like OpenAI’s Sora, which could significantly improve the Vision Pro experience. After all, the impact of text-to-video AI models would be more impressive on a head-mounted display than on current consumer electronics.
Mark Gurman also said that Apple plans to roll out Apple Intelligence features on the Vision Pro headset in the future. Although the headset can run on-device AI functions such as the all-new Siri, writing tools, and notification summaries, we may not see them in 2024. Instead, Apple could reserve Apple Intelligence integration until visionOS 3, which could potentially launch in 2025.
