Less expensive ‘Apple Vision’ headset could require iPhone tethering, rumored to launch late next year

Ever since the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro made its debut, rumors have suggested that Apple is working on a cheaper model aimed at the mainstream market.

In a new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman on Sunday, the journalist reports that the cheaper device, code-named N107, is now the focus of Apple’s internal Vision Products Group, with the iPhone maker setting its sights on a late 2025 launch, and a possible $1,500-$2,000 price point.

According to Gurman, “Apple is struggling to get the cost down while retaining critical features.”

“Apple could strip out the EyeSight display — the feature that shows a user’s eyes on the outside — and reduce the specifications of the internal virtual reality screens,” says Gurman. “It also could use a less powerful chip and lower the quality of the augmented reality passthrough visuals, which show you the real-world views outside the device.”

Gurman reports that prototypes of the cheaper “Apple Vision” headset have a narrower field of view than the Vision Pro. And the company is considering making the device reliant on a tethered Mac or iPhone, which would let Apple save money on the processing power and components needed to make the device a fully standalone product.

In other Vision-related news, Gurman says Apple also is working on a second-generation version of the Apple Vision Pro. That model is called the N109 internally and allegedly looks much like the current model but includes a faster processor and improvements to external cameras.