Apple Halts Vision Pro Headset Progress, Shifts Focus too Smart Glasses
CUPERTINO, CA – Apple has reportedly paused development on both the Vision Pro and Vision Air headsets, redirecting resources toward a new smart glasses project expected to launch as early as next year. The move casts uncertainty on the future of Apple’s spatial computing ambitions and leaves the current Vision Pro facing a potential obsolescence within the next few years.
This strategic shift impacts Apple’s mixed reality roadmap, potentially leaving early Vision Pro adopters with outdated hardware as soon as 2027-2028. While Apple remains committed to the mixed reality space - evidenced by the ongoing development of visionOS 26 and the forthcoming M5 chip refresh – the long-term direction of its headset product line is now unclear amid a broader company focus on artificial intelligence and more accessible wearable technology.
Sources indicate Apple intends to leverage the smart glasses initiative as a foundation for future mixed reality advancements, potentially resuming work on updated headset models once the glasses project is established. However,this timeline leaves a significant gap in the market,with the existing Vision pro potentially becoming a technological dead-end if no successor is released. the current Vision Pro, launched in February 2024, represents a substantial investment for consumers and developers, and its future viability hinges on apple’s continued support and innovation in the spatial computing arena.
