Apple's announcement of the Vision Pro headset in 2023 was pretty hyperbolic about the device's potential, even by Apple's standards. CEO Tim Cook called it "the beginning of a new era for computing," placing the Vision Pro in the same industry-shifting echelon as the Mac and the iPhone.
The Vision Pro could still eventually lead to a product that ushers in a new age of "spatial computing." But it does seem like Apple is a bit less optimistic about the headset's current form—at least, that's one possible way to read the fact that the second-generation Vision Pro is being announced via press release, rather than as the centerpiece of a product event.
The new Vision Pro is available for the same $3,499 as the first model, which will likely continue to limit the headset's appeal outside of a die-hard community of early adopters and curious developers. It's available for pre-order today and ships on October 22.
The updated Vision Pro is a low-risk, play-it-safe upgrade that updates the device's processor without changing much else about its design or how the product is positioned. It's essentially the same device as before, but with the M2 chip switched out for a brand-new M5—a chip that comes with a faster CPU and GPU, 32GB of RAM, and improved image signal processors and video encoding hardware that will doubtlessly refine and improve the experience of using the headset.
The new Vision Pro also comes with a reformulated Dual Knit Band, with both a top and a rear strap meant to make the headset more comfortable for longer sessions. The band comes in small, medium, and large sizes and can be added to the first-generation Vision Pro.
Reports have circulated that Apple has de-prioritized Vision Pro development internally and that the company is trying to shift to something more along the lines of Meta's less-obtrusive augmented reality glasses. Those changes have reportedly impacted both plans for a more powerful next-generation Vision Pro, as well as the cheaper and lighter version of the headset that Apple would probably need to put out to have any hope of expanding beyond a small pool of early adopters and cracking the mass market.
This Vision Pro update keeps the headset current for the small audience that is interested in it, without committing the additional time or resources that would be needed for a full overhaul. It's still too early to say what the Vision Pro's ultimate fate will be, but that its first-ever refresh is getting less stage time than an Apple Watch at least suggests that Apple is hedging its bets on the device.
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