Cheaper Apple Vision Headset Might Require a Tethered iPhone or Mac
Apple could offer a cheaper version of its Apple Vision Pro headset by making the device reliant on a tethered iPhone or Mac, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Last week, a report claimed that Apple had suspended work on the second-generation Apple Vision Pro in order to focus on bringing a cheaper model to market. However, Gurman claims Apple shifted resources to developing a cheaper model even before the Vision Pro was released, and he has now offered some more details on how Apple plans to build a more affordable spatial computing unit.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that a prototype lower-cost headset, codenamed N107, has a narrower field of view compared to Vision Pro.
Apple is also considering making this version more reliant on a tethered Mac or iPhone. "That would let Apple save money on the processing power and components needed to make the Vision Pro a fully standalone product," he argues.
Gurman says that Apple is still struggling to bring the cost down while retaining key features. But if it can, Apple plans to launch the cheaper headset as early as the end of 2025. Indeed, this has been the plan "since before the Vision Pro was unveiled last year," he adds.
Gurman doubled down on his reaction to last week's report by noting that Apple has no plans to abandon the high end of the headset market, and while it's "less of a priority," Apple is still working on a second-generation Vision Pro, codenamed N109.
This model is said to look similar to the current Vision Pro, but has a faster processor and improvements to the external cameras. The company reportedly plans to release the Apple Vision Pro 2 by the end of 2026 at the earliest.
Popular Stories
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
