Apple May Release Updated Vision Pro Headset Later This Year

An updated version of Apple’s Vision Pro headset could be released as soon as this year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported yesterday. The new headset is expected to come with Apple’s more powerful M4 chip, but it may also feature other minor changes, including a tweaked neural processing unit (NPU) and new straps designed to reduce discomfort.

Apple’s first Vision Pro headset, which launched first in the US last year before rolling out to other markets, comes with the company’s M2 chip that debuted on the redesigned 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2022. Apple’s newer M4 chip, which is currently in use in the latest iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and iMac, offers up to 1.5x faster CPU performance and up to 4× more GPU performance compared to the M2.

According to Gurman, Apple is also testing an M4 chip with an increased number of cores in its neural engine (NPU) to accelerate tasks in virtual environments. The M4 currently uses a 16-core neural engine that can already perform 38 trillion operations per second (TOPS).

To make the Apple Vision Pro more comfortable to use, the company is reportedly prototyping new straps that are “designed to reduce neck strain and head pain,” Gurman said. Customers can currently choose between a simple head strap and a dual loop band with upper and lower straps, but even the latter doesn’t make the device easy to wear over long periods.

This new Apple Vision Pro with M4 chip isn’t expected to be cheaper than the current $3,499 M2 version. According to Gurman, a lighter and cheaper model is currently in development, but it may not be ready to ship until 2027.

Apple reportedly has other mixed reality products in the pipeline, including a tethered headset for enterprise customers. The company is also working on lightweight smart glasses that would compete with the popular Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses. However, that product may also not come to market until 2027.