After the Vision Pro was released, everyone wanted to know how long it would be before the company could release a lighter version that wasn’t so bulky on the face. We have been waiting for the so-called Vision Air, codenamed N100, for a long time. That project was shelved last year, though the company is working on a new project with similar aspirations Bloomberg.
Unlike the previous N100 project, it does not appear that the new project, N224, is necessarily aimed at being a low-cost offering. It could instead be the successor to the current M5-based Vision Pro model, although it could still come in at a lower price while still offering the flagship experience.
This new version seems relatively early in the works, with Bloomberg signaling that it could arrive between late 2028 and early 2029. That said, it’s not entirely clear what exactly Apple means. The company currently has four concepts in the works.
One of the concepts is similar to the recently unveiled Meta VR glasses, which offload compute and battery to an external drive. Given that the Vision Pro already has an external battery, offloading the computation doesn’t necessarily seem like a major obstacle, although doing so would require better thermals and more efficient computations.
On the other hand, some Apple executives reportedly don’t like the idea of an external drive and “want the company to stick with something closer to an all-in-one design.”
Design-wise, Apple may be getting a little more experimental than the current Vision Pro, with the company presumably considering other material choices. From the ignition newsletter:
A design in testing maintains the basic egg-shaped shape of the current Vision Pro, but Apple is actively exploring ways to reduce its weight by experimenting with plastic, titanium, other metals, and various materials. The company has also continued to explore a self-contained drive that combines computing and battery components, similar to the approach used by Meta’s recent VR glasses.
Wrap
Time will tell what Apple actually ends up offering. Given that the A20 Pro chip is incredibly high-performance in its thermal enclosure, it seems very likely that in another 2 years we could have an A-series chip capable of running visionOS at a higher capacity than the current M5, without the need for active cooling.
I think Apple should go all in on the Meta VR glasses idea. Even at a higher price point, I think the form factor makes a lot of sense. Apple silicon, EyeSight and visionOS will allow the product to stand out.
What do you think of this new Vision Pro innovation? Are you a current Vision Pro owner or are you still skeptical about the idea of headphones? Let us know in the comments.
My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:
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