New Apple Vision Pro tipped for early 2026, but might not be what you expect

Details of the second generation Vision Pro headset are starting to emerge, and it's bad news for anybody expecting a dramatic redesign – the new Vision Pro is said to be very similar to the existing model.

This comes via Bloomberg's Apple expert, Mark Gurman, who says that Apple is currently working on two models. One is a lighter, cheaper version of the current headset. While the other is more powerful and will be tethered to a Mac, so the computer will handle the processing.

Of the two, Gurman says the lighter model will be the first to launch – somewhere between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026. However, it seems that Apple is uncertain whether this new model is a replacement for the Vision Pro, or a cheaper, non-Pro model. An Apple Vision Air, if you like.

Vision Pro 2: what to expect

Apple wants to make the second Vision Pro more affordable, which will be a challenge given the US tariff situation, and to upgrade the M2 processor to this year's M5. Other details are still sketchy but some reports have suggested it may come in black to make it visually distinctive from the current model.

The more intriguing headset is the other one.

Gurman says that it will be more immersive, delivering an ultra-low latency display to its connected computer. Doing all the processing on a Mac would enable Apple to make the headset simpler and lighter, but it's still a long way from what Gurman says is Tim Cook's ultimate goal: augmented reality glasses.

Those are in development too, codenamed N50, but the device "isn't close to being ready yet".

Insiders say that it won't be fully AR, but it will be able to monitor the environment around you and feed information. Apple's camera-equipped AirPods are also in development with similar goals, it's claimed.