Quick Summary
Apple is reportedly planning to use lower resolution displays in its more consumer-oriented version of the Vision Pro. The device is unlikely to launch until at least 2026.
Last night Meta showed off a pair of augmented reality glasses that make Apple's Vision Pro look like a motorcycle helmet, and the Meta Quest 3S, which makes the Vision Pro look absurdly expensive. And that's because the Vision Pro is pretty big and extremely expensive. But the next generation looks likely to be much more affordable as well as being more lightweight.
According to a report in trade publication DigiTimes, as spotted by MacRumors, Apple is looking into the use of lower resolution displays for its more affordable Vision Pro model. Instead of the current resolution of 3,391 pixels per inch, these displays would be 1,500 pixels per inch – and that means they'll be much cheaper for Apple to buy.
Apple's plans for a more affordable Vision Pro
According to the DigiTimes report, the lower-resolution displays, which would use glass core substrate OLEDs rather than the more expensive OLED on Silicon display of the current Vision Pro, would still deliver a good visual experience. And they're part of a wider plan to bring down the price and the bulk of Apple's mixed reality headset. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported this summer that Apple's current prototype had a narrower field of view and was likely to use lighter materials than the current Vision Pro.
Gurman also suggested that Apple would outsource a lot of the budget headset's processing power to an iPhone or iPad, which would enable Apple to cut the costs, complexity and weight of the headset by a considerable margin.
According to DigiTimes, Apple is still in the very early stages of development for this more consumer-oriented headset; it suggests that it could be two or even three years before the new headset goes into production, which is contrary to previous reports that predicted a late 2025 launch.
