Gurman: Apple to launch low-cost VR headset as early as next year, smart glasses in 2027

According to the financial news outlet Zhitong Finance, as reported by the media on Sunday, Mark Gurman, a well-known tech journalist from Bloomberg, mentioned that Apple (AAPL.US) may release a lower-priced Vision headset device as early as next year to develop a more mass-market appealing mixed reality headset.

The company's previously released $3,500 Vision Pro headset did not generate much enthusiasm. Since its launch in the United States in February this year, the sales of this device have not exceeded 100,000 units in a single quarter, and it is expected that the sales for this year will not exceed 500,000 units.

It is reported that the price of the low-end model is around $2,000 and may use a weaker processor and cheaper materials. This headset may abandon the EyeSight feature introduced by Apple on the Vision Pro, which uses a columnar lens display to transmit the user's eye image to the outside of the headset, allowing people around them to still "see" their eyes. The report also states that Apple expects the sales of this low-priced headset to be at least twice that of the Vision Pro.

Gurman also mentioned that the company's Visual Products Group is considering releasing smart glasses equivalent to Meta Ray-Bans, as well as AirPods with cameras. The company's goal is to recoup billions of dollars in research and development costs by applying the visual intelligence technology of Vision Pro to more products.

In early June, it was reported by the media that Apple had paused the development of the next-generation expensive Vision mixed reality headset and shifted its focus to a more affordable version to attract a wider audience