Apple’s Vision Pro augmented reality headset has yet to hit the market and already there’s talk of what the next one will include. The obvious next step is making it lighter, something that noted Apple analyst Mark Gurman has explored in a recent newsletter.
Making VR hardware lighter is always on the list of planned features, whether you’re Apple, Meta, or Valve. It seems a little incongruous to be talking about it when the Vision Pro’s official weight has yet to be published but Apple didn’t get to where it is by waiting around to react to things.
Is a qualified seer a Vision Pro?
There might be no official weight but there are a few unofficial guesses which suggest that Apple’s AR hardware will tip the scales at around 450 grams. That might not be a problem if you’re George Fisher but the average person is going to battle a little with supporting the extra weight.
According to Gurman, Apple is working on making the headset both lighter and smaller. This will (probably) help alleviate reported neck strain from the headgear observed during testing. But, as we’ve mentioned, any product you’re supposed to wear on your head and neck will inevitably undergo weight reduction for subsequent iterations.
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There is one slightly unique update that may or may not happen when the next generation of the Vision Pro turns up. This version doesn’t have enough space for those with glasses to continue using their cybernetic enhancements inside the headset. Prescription lens inserts are the obvious answer but Apple is reportedly in talks to custom-build some future headsets to include prescription lenses.
That makes them a more attractive buy, sure, but it also makes them much harder to resell in the event you get tired of it. The other answer would be Lasik surgery but that might be a touch extreme. It’s only virtual reality. It’s probably not worth shaving your eyeballs for. Yet. Anyway, this is far from official so don’t hold out hope that Apple will visit your optometrist for you just because you gave them seventy grand.
