Apple’s affordable $2,000 AR headset won’t be available until 2027

A more affordable version of the Apple Vision augmented reality headset, which was expected to appear next year, will not go on sale until 2027, said TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. At the same time, he confirmed Apple’s plans to release a new version of Apple Vision Pro in 2025 with the M5 chip and support for Apple Intelligence.

It was previously reported that Apple is preparing to release next year a cheaper version of Vision Pro, priced at about $2,000, which will be made from cheaper materials, will also have a less powerful processor, lower-resolution displays and will come without EyeSight.

As the analyst explained, Apple delayed the release of a more affordable version of the Apple Vision Pro because “simply lowering the price will not help create successful use cases” and is unlikely to significantly increase sales. As an example, he cited HomePod smart speakers. “Even after the release of the cheaper HomePod mini, Apple smart speakers did not become mass products,” the analyst noted.

The analyst’s prediction of plans to release a more affordable Apple Vision Pro is consistent with a Bloomberg report that Apple is “seriously considering” developing a cheaper Apple Vision Pro headset that would shift most, if not all, of the computing operations to the user’s iPhone. Such a device would be more similar to existing augmented reality smart glasses.