If the latest reports coming out of China are correct, it looks like Apple might be done with the Vision Pro – but don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere. Instead, rumours point towards Apple prepping a new headset for release later this year.
More specifically, Chinese website IT Home claims in a new report that key components of the new mixed reality headset – including panels, housing and circuitry – are all in mass production ahead of a release later in 2025, citing unknown sources.
The report even goes as far as to claim that some suppliers are “rushing” to complete orders, showcasing just how quickly Apple wants to get the new headset out of the door and into the hands of consumers.
This shouldn’t be that much of a surprise to anyone following Vision Pro rumours closely. The Information reported back in October 2024 that Apple had abruptly reduced the number of headsets being manufactured, intending to completely cease production by the end of 2024.
That means that, as of writing, the original headset may no longer be in production, with Apple relying instead on existing Vision Pro units to sell until the headset is ready. Again, this would make sense as to why Apple is said to be rushing into the mass production of the new headset, with a finite number of first-gen headsets ready to sell.
If you were expecting an all-new headset packed with new features and functionality, you’ll be disappointed. The Information suggests that work on a substantial upgrade has stalled, with the company instead gearing up to release “an incremental update to the product with limited changes to its physical design,” though it shared no more on the matter.
Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s ever-accurate Mark Gurman both agree that a more iterative second-gen headset is on the way, offering the upgraded M5 chip and little else. For reference, the first-gen Vision Pro offers Apple’s desktop-level M2 chipset, so the M5 could offer quite the uptick in performance.
Like IT Home, Kuo and Gurman believe that the second-gen headset could debut in the autumn of 2025, though Gurman also claims it could appear later in spring 2026.
Trusted Take: Apple doesn’t need a more powerful headset, it needs a cheaper one
It makes sense for Apple to offer an iterative upgrade on the now ageing Vision Pro headset, especially if it continues to sell it for such a high price point, but that’s not what the headset really needs.
Instead, Apple needs to focus more on a more affordable headset. The experience on offer from the Vision Pro is fantastic, but it’s still relatively limited compared to its super high-end price tag.
If Apple could scale things down a bit, replacing the metal and glass with plastic and ditching the gimmicky EyeSight, and maybe even using an iPhone-level chipset, it could offer something that the mass market could genuinely afford.
That level of attention from consumers would also boost the number of developers actively creating apps and experiences for the platform, as for many, I imagine the current number of Vision Pro users outweighs the effort of creating the app.
