The original Vision Pro was a technological marvel that almost nobody bought. Apple reportedly knows this, and the Vision Pro 2 is shaping up to address the three biggest complaints: weight, price, and comfort.

Weight and comfort

The single most consistent criticism of the Vision Pro is its weight. At 600-650 grams (depending on the band), it causes forehead pressure and discomfort after 30-45 minutes for many users. Apple is reportedly targeting a 30% weight reduction, bringing the Vision Pro 2 down to approximately 420-450 grams.

How? Two major changes:

  • External battery pack eliminated: The M5 chip's efficiency allows a smaller internal battery to provide 2.5 hours of use, eliminating the cable and external pack entirely
  • Aluminum-magnesium alloy housing: Replacing the current glass-and-aluminum construction with a lighter alloy shell

The new headset is also expected to have a wider, more breathable headband system with better weight distribution. Several prototypes have reportedly been tested by Apple employees for multi-hour work sessions.

M5 chip and display improvements

The Vision Pro 2 will reportedly ship with the M5 chip (same as the upcoming MacBook Air), providing:

  • Improved passthrough camera quality with lower latency
  • Better hand and eye tracking accuracy
  • More efficient rendering for immersive environments
  • Support for higher-resolution virtual displays

The micro-OLED displays are expected to remain at the same resolution (23 million pixels per eye) but with improved brightness and a wider color gamut. The R2 chip (successor to R1) will handle sensor fusion with reduced motion-to-photon latency.

Lower price point

This is the change that could actually move units. Apple is reportedly targeting $2,499 for the base model — a $1,000 reduction from the original $3,499 starting price. Cost reductions come from:

  • Mature micro-OLED panel yields (supply from both Sony and LG now)
  • Simplified manufacturing for the new housing material
  • Removal of the external battery pack
  • Single storage tier (256GB) with iCloud integration

A separate "Vision" model (without the Pro designation) at $1,499-1,799 has also been rumored, but supply-chain evidence is thinner for that device.

visionOS 3

The software experience is getting major updates:

  • Mac Virtual Display 2.0: Multiple Mac screens in spatial computing, with drag-and-drop between virtual and real
  • Spatial FaceTime: Full-body avatars replacing the current Persona system
  • Enterprise apps: New APIs for 3D data visualization, remote assistance, and training
  • Gaming: Metal 4 support for higher-fidelity immersive games

Timeline

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts a Q4 2026 announcement with availability in early 2027. The most likely scenario is an October or November keynote, with the device shipping by January 2027. For current Apple product comparisons, see our Apple product pages covering the latest iPhone and Mac lineups.