Apple reportedly 'flummoxed' over how to bring down Vision Pro costs
The price of Vision Pro needs to come down drastically to get more people into spatial computing. The only question is how?
Mark Gurman writes in his latest newsletter:
Apple’s latest Vision Pro road map doesn’t currently call for a second-generation model until the end of 2026, though the company is trying to figure out a way to bring a cheaper version to market before then. Apple is still flummoxed by how exactly to bring down the cost, I’m told.
Gurman wrote last week that interest in Vision Pro and in-store demos had waned noticeably. People who book demos often don't show up, and sales had dropped from a few units a day to a handful a week in some locations.
How Apple could save on manufacturing costs
Here are some ways to lower the price of the Vision Pro for a cheaper version of the headset:
- Apple could eliminate the external display and EyeSight, which would reduce cost and weight. EyeSight is considered one of the Vision Pro's weakest features anyway.
- Apple could use an iPhone chipset instead of an M-series chipset, although this could have a negative impact on the performance of the device.
- Apple could find new suppliers for the production of OLED microdisplays and thus reduce the production costs of the screens. The displays are the most expensive component of the Vision Pro.
- Apple could use plastic instead of metal and glass, reducing both cost and weight.
- Apple could possibly also reduce the number of sensors without impacting the performance.
The question is whether Apple is willing to make technical compromises at all, and whether the Vision Pro already represents the absolute basic set of features that Apple wants.
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