I still think that Apple has eventually plans for a ‘Vision Air”

In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says there are good reasons for Apple scaling back plans for a cheaper and lighter Vision headset to focus instead on smart glasses .

He says this move has some folks puzzled. How could a company with Apple’s vast resources struggle to develop both a mixed-reality headset and next-generation glasses, especial when rivals like Meta Platforms manage to go so?

Gurman says that the answer lies in Apple’s DNA. Despite its immense wealth, Apple is disciplined and selective — even frugal and doesn’t invest in products that may not show long term potential. Which would indicate that Apple is doubtful of the long-term potential of the Vision Pro. 

The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) thinks the Vision Pro is an incredible product, though it’s priced out of reach for most folks. That said, I still think Apple has plans for a “Vision Air.” It’s just that those plans have been on the back burner for now.

Of course, the Vision Pro runs the visionOS operating system. Gurman thinks Apple’s smart glasses (commonly referred to in the rumor mill as “Apple Glasses”) will also run on this OS when paired with a Mac, and then switch to a more lightweight, mobile-friendly interface when they are paired with an iPhone.

Gurman has previously said the first iteration of Apple Glasses won’t offer an in-lens display. However, he thinks it will have speakers for music playback, cameras for photos and video, voice control, and potentially health features.

Power On is exclusively for Bloomberg.com subscribers. Get the full Power On newsletter every week — plus unlimited access to every featured article and a Q&A with Gurman— when you subscribe to the Tech Newsletter Bundle.

I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. All our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.