Image: Is a cheaper Apple Vision Pro on the horizon?

A Cheaper Apple Vision Headset Might Draw In a Larger Crowd

Right from release, the VR headset has been touted more as a status symbol rather than a device celebrated for its features, its $3499 USD price tag too outrageous to consider for most consumers. We knew right from the get-go that the device would not be able to rely on high-quantity sales to make it worth the production costs and that’s exactly how things seem to have panned out. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s insight into the Apple VR headset has revealed that the company has slashed its production volumes by half, bringing the numbers down from 800,000 units planned for 2024, to 400,000-450,000 units only.

As alarming as that sounds, reviewers such as those over at Engadget, have reassured readers that these numbers are constantly changing and even if the production numbers are brought down, the company could still turn a profit. Considering the varied streams of revenue that the company enjoys, they will still be able to make it out comfortably and find a way to redesign the headset to meet their targets. The company’s commitment to “spatial computing” has only just started, and there could be a very successful line of products that follow once the company gets the technical details right.

The news of the Apple VR headset sales decline has also been paired with reports that the headset has found an audience that is committed to exploring the uses of the headset. According to CEO Tim Cook, “For example, more than half of Fortune 100 companies have purchased Apple Vision Pro units and are exploring innovative ways to use them to do things that were previously impossible.” The Apple Vision headset’s unaffordability is more of a challenge for the consumer than the company but a cheaper Apple VR headset will not hurt.

What Would a Cheaper Apple VR Headset Look Like?

To make a cheaper Apple Vision headset, Apple will have to make a lot of changes to cut production cost of the device. This would mean eliminating some key features that make the headset what it is. It would also require the company to target making a lighter Apple VR headset as its heavy form as it stands currently has been one of the many reasons that users have steered clear of the device.

Rumors suggest that Apple could swap out the M-series chipset for the M-series chips and eliminate the EyeSight front display for a cheaper Apple VR headset. If we’re being realistic, they would still put the Apple Vision headset’s affordability into question at $1500 to $2,500 USD, keeping it well out of reach of the average consumer. The company would have to make a bigger attempt at swapping some of the materials and reducing the capabilities of the device to match the competitive prices on the market for VR headsets. Meta’s take on these devices are usually priced around $300 USD, which is significantly better than anything Apple is rumored to offer, so there’s a long way to go for a cheaper Apple Vision headset to become a reality.

The Apple Vision Pro 2 is not scheduled to launch anytime before 2026 but this cheaper version of the Apple VR headset could arrive sooner, around 2025. Nothing has been confirmed about either product, but with the WWDC 2024 conference only a week away, we could see the company give us an update on what we can expect to see from the device, whether they’ve developed any methods to make a lighter Apple VR headset or made progress on its affordability.

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Apple is acclimated to blockbuster products and such a deliberate call of pruning the size of the production begs a question: Has Apple lost confidence that the Vision Pro headset will be a success?

Vision Pro: Apple’s First Mixed Reality Headset

Apple has already announced that the spatial computing headset Vision Pro will not go up for sale until early 2024. Now we can concoct a few reasons as to why Apple may have had to scale back the production of Vision Pro. 

The $3,500 price tag traverses beyond Apple’s standard premium pricing and the reason for the mixed reality Vision Pro headset’s lofty cost is because first, it’s a first-generation product. And second, Apple has had to create custom hardware components over the stretch of 7-8 years of research and development. 

Another imperative factor that comes into play is that the complexity of the Vision Pro’s headset design contributes to the difficulties in production.   

(Image Courtesy – Apple)

Industry analysts have surmised the delay as being more inclined to supply chain problems rather than the speculated Vision Pro SDK program for developers. 

Sources close to the company have said that Apple was preparing to make fewer than 400,000 Vision Pro units in 2024, solely through its ties with Chinese manufacturer Luxshare. But Apple has reportedly only ordered certain components to fulfill the production of 130,000 – 150,000 units. This implies that Apple has significantly cut production of Vision Pro, slimming down the internal sales target of 1 million units. 

Apple Wants Vision Pro To Appeal To Mass Audiences

Following years of missed deadlines and launch delays, apparently Apple is unhappy with the production yield of defect-free micro-OLEDs. Computing a major factor in seamless displays (and the most expensive component), the micro-OLEDs are vital to Vision Pro headsets. 

The expected $3,500 price point is also indicative of Apple’s low manufacturing yields with a higher cost of production inefficiencies. 

Meanwhile, Sony is reluctant to amp up its mixed-reality headset production without tiptoeing around how the AR and VR headset market would expand. 

Furthermore, to appeal to mass-market consumers, it has been suggested that Apple has partnered with Korean display makers Samsung and LG for its second-generation headset – a more affordable one. Apple has been insistent to incorporate micro-OLEDs only for the non-Pro headset, but may have to compromise with mini-LED exploration, in order to lower the cost of production. But this production of the affordable version of the Apple Vision Pro headset device may also be pushed back.

“Given the limited production numbers, the Vision Pro headset will be flying off the shelves by being pre-ordered by Apple’s high net worth users in the US and its loyal fans.” 

Many analysts believe that Apple will defy all odds to exceed an audience base of 20 million within five years of Vision Pro’s launch, owing to its ecosystem of loyal users. 

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Vision Pro is the world’s first spatial computer which features VisionOS and lets users interact with digital content in the most natural way possible – using their hands, eyes, and voice. 

Apple Vision Pro’s spatial development will be able to take full advantage of the boundless canvas in Vision Pro to synthesize a new class of spatial computing apps and digital content with the physical realm, seamlessly. Apple Vision Pro’s developer tools will be powered to design novel app experiences across multitudes of categories such as gaming, design, productivity, and more. 

(Image Courtesy – Apple)

The tech giant reckons on the developers’ interest to build the hype around the system, after it didn’t receive a rave response at its unveiling at the WWDC, earlier this month.

Create Spatial Experiences With Apple Vision Pro SDK

For years of AR and VR development, content has been an ‘apple of discord’. No wonder Apple is ready to capitalize on a stocked App Store even before the system arrives early next year. 

In July, the tech giant is slated to open Apple developer labs for Vision Pro SDK in Cupertino, Munich, London, Singapore, Tokyo, and Shanghai. Apple SDK for Vision Pro will allow developers to get their hands on testing apps on the Apple Vision Pro hardware and gain the support of the in-house engineers. Vision Pro’s developer tools will also enable teams to build, iterate and test on the Apple Vision Pro.

The main blight of developers was to seldom have a moment with an extremely expensive and yet-to-be-launched headset. 

“Apple Vision Pro redefines the possibilities of a computing platform. Using powerful frameworks they already know, developers can start building visionOS apps and design all-new experiences for their users.”

The tech company believes that creating spatial experiences with Apple Vision Pro will unlock newer opportunities for developers to imagine new ways to help their users be productive, enjoy, and connect. Apple’s developer labs for Vision Pro SDK will span across a spectrum of immersive content – windows for depth and 3D content; volumes for being viewed from any angle; and spaces that can be unbounded for 3D content. 

(Image Courtesy – Apple)

The visionOS SDK is constructed to be mounted on top of conformable operating systems by using familiar dev tools such as Xcode, RealityKit, SwiftUI, TestFlight, and ARKit. 

“Manufacturers can use AR solutions to collaborate on critical business issues by bringing interactive 3D content to life, from a single product to a whole production line. 

Just as system default settings load apps into the Shared Space, apps can use windows and volumes to display content. Inside the Full Space, infinite 3D content can be created, which opens a portal for immersive experiences. 

Some of the Apple Vision Pro SDK apps include Complete HeartX and Djay. Developer tools from the software development kit with Complete HeartX will aid medical students in real practice – using hyper-realistic 3D animations and models. Complete HeartX can visualize medical issues like ventricular fibrillation, helping them use their knowledge to solve them. Djay can be used by beginners and seasoned professionals – it transforms users with a stupendous environment to automatically respond to the mix. 

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Albeit the tech giant has never validated working on a headset, Apple’s headset release rumors have been the talk of the town over the years. The latest notch up the rumor mill is that it will be called the ‘Reality Pro’, capable of both augmented reality and virtual reality experiences. Users will be able to transition between AR and VR with the help of a digital crown-style dial.

Apple’s xrOS headset, a ‘mixed reality’ AR/VR headset could virtually cost $3,000. This price point has been rumored more than once but has always stunned the loyal Apple family of users. The reasoning behind why Apple’s augmented reality headset could be tipped to cost a fortune is likely because the xrOS headset is predicted to be targeted to developers and not regular consumer use. 

The various components of Apple’s new headset allegedly include the operating system called xrOS, support for FaceTime calls, support for eye and hand tracking, playing games, reading titles off Apple Books, and an external battery pack that is easily fittable in one’s pocket. 

CEO Tim Cook has been envisioning AR and VR for almost a decade, promulgating its fundamental importance in bringing people together.

“Take one side of the AR/VR piece – the idea that one could overlay the physical realm with things from the digital space could greatly enhance people’s connection and communication.”

Apple xrOS Headset: VR/AR Headset Hardware Details

Where other VR/AR headsets like the PSVR 2 consist of advanced virtual reality tech, but only cost about $500, Apple’s new headset details up ahead will try to make you understand why the xrOS headset could feel like breaking the bank. 

Apple oracle and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has surmised a few attributes on why Apple’s mixed reality headset is estimated at $3,000. 

Kuo speculates that the Apple VR/AR headset will have two chips in it with Apple’s in-house design, most probably designed by TSMC. One chip will be analogous to the M2 chip while the other chip will be a lower silicon slice catapulted at managing lesser demanding tasks. This means that the M2 chip will be shouldering the major power.  

He also reasons that Apple’s augmented reality headset will bring along an assembly which will be exclusive to ‘Luxshare ICT’. It is also a hint that Apple’s headset chassis is a class apart from other VR headsets. Kuo commends micro-OLED displays for the Apple headset, which had been exclusive to rival Sony. 

Apple’s new headset details could also include advanced tracking inside and outside the headset with a guesstimated 12 cameras, in contrast to Sony PSVR’s 4 cameras. With an external power supply from Goretek, all the major components of Apple’s VR/AR headset are touted as the ‘most expensive material costs’.

If Apple’s headset release rumors are to be true, the VR/AR headset will be a testbed for developers to fiddle with the real potential of what can be pushed into the paradigm of mixed reality.

“The headset can become the most worthy investment trend in the consumer electronics market if Apple’s VR headset impressions are better than expected at the release.”

The Apple Glasses could also be an addition to the tech giant’s lineup of VR/AR products, should it find a strong footing in the industry. But not before an affordable range of the Apple headset. 

Apple’s unveiling of the VR/AR headset at WWDC 2023 could not just be an exciting event but also set an example for what’s leading the frontier of virtual and augmented reality, both hardware and software side.

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Be it the leading social media platforms or the gaming community channels on Discord or Twitch, it’s PSVR2 all the way. Gamers can’t wait to experience the next-gen gaming that the device promises to offer. 

However, VR headsets are not something new. Earlier, Meta tried to popularize them. But despite pouring billions of money, Mark Zuckerbeg’s metaverse project couldn’t manage to take off. In the past few years, we have seen an array of offerings from the company so far as VR headsets are concerned, which also includes the flagship Meta Quest Pro. 

But does the new Sony PSVR2 really manage to get the better of them? Is it the best VR gaming headset till date? Is it at all worth buying? Let’s dive deep inside the story to figure out the answers. 

With Meta failing to hit the bull’s eye so far, Sony seems to try its luck with the brand-new PlayStation VR2, aimed at its millions of loyalist gamers spread across the world. [Image Credit: Sony]

PlayStation VR2: Does it Go Over the Top? 

Metaverse and AI, these two areas are believed to be the most happening fields at the moment, with a massive surge in recent times. Though AI has created a sensation lately thanks to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, metaverse remains a very niche domain, till date. 

But there’s no stopping for the tech giants to rage the battle for the bragging rights of the metaverse, as reports of Apple entering the race (production of an AR headset is already underway) pops up. With Meta failing to hit the bull’s eye so far, Sony seems to try its luck with the brand-new PlayStation VR2, aimed at its millions of loyalist gamers spread across the world. 

The PSVR2, which is slated for a global release tomorrow and comes with a $550 price-tag, seemingly offers a wide range of exciting features. Sony claims that the PlayStation VR2 headset is a “ground-breaking” device, which promises to allow gamers “experience the next generation of virtual reality play with stunning 4K HDR visuals, genre-defining games, and unique sensations.” 

It further adds, “innovative PlayStation VR2 Sense technology brings emotion and immersion to life through subtle headset vibrations, 3D audio technology and intelligent eye tracking, combined with finger touch detection, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers from the PS VR2 Sense controller1.”

Let’s have a look at the PSVR2’s major salient features to have a fair understanding about what exactly it brings to the table. Here we go!

PSVR2 Major Highlights

• Deeper Details: Thanks to two 2000×2040 OLED displays, it delivers incredible 4K HDR visuals at up to 120fps1, for 4x the resolution of the original PlayStation VR.
• Intelligent Eye Tracking: This allows you to express yourself to fellow players in new and lifelike ways, by simulating heightened emotional responses from your in-game avatar, giving room to an enhanced sense of realism and personal interactions to co-op games or team chats in multiplayer games.

• Incredibly Sharp Focus: Courtesy of foveated rendering, it brings in-game areas that your eyes focus on into amazing graphical fidelity. 

• 110-degree Field of View

• Adjustable Fresnel Lens: Allows you to customize spacing between lenses to match your eye position for an optimal onscreen image.
• All-new 3D Audio Immersion Technology: Now you can even sense a character’s presence as they whisper in your ear, locate friends and enemies by their gunfire or footfall, and surround yourself with incredibly realistic soundscapes, as in-game audio dynamically adapts to your position and head movements with Tempest 3D AudioTech.

• Headset Feedback

• Haptic Feedback

• Adaptive Triggers

• Finger Touch Detection

In a nutshell, the PSVR2 looks better than the Meta ones but as tech critic Brian X Chen aptly concludes, “still has ways to go before becoming a mainstream staple for work and play.” 

Stay tuned, as we will get back to you soon with more exclusive stories on AR and gaming. 

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