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After having just announced its VR headset, the Vision Pro, Apple has reportedly already begun working on a successor. This leak comes as a surprise as the Apple Vision Pro isn’t even commercially available yet. However, according to MacRumors, designs for a second-generation AR/VR headset by Apple are already underway. This move could signify that Apple isn’t taking its foray into VR lightly, and is vying to become the top dog of the industry.
The Vision Pro promises a premium VR experience
Apple first announced the Vision Pro back in June of this year. It was Apple’s first foray into a new major category of tech since the Apple Watch in 2015. The Vision Pro is slated to be available to consumers starting early next year in the States, and globally shortly after. This makes news of a potential successor, codenamed Project Alaska, quite surprising if true.
As many expected, Apple went all-out with its new product. The Vision Pro looks and feels Apple, and promises seamless integration into the Apple ecosystem. It offers a brilliant, crisp display and top of the line motion tracking. It also ships with features never before seen in the VR world. The display can go transparent when you need to talk to someone. It manages to integrate people passing by you into your content. There is also an avatar it can create of you to participate in Facetime calls. Another major selling point is how the headset tackles and eliminates nausea with high refresh rates and zero juddering.
Project Alaska might be available in 2025
Reports of Apple working on a successor to the Vision Pro have been surfacing for a few months now. If the images are any indication of the final product, Project Alaska will look quite similar to the Vision Pro. Reports claim the headset will enter Product Validation Testing in 2025. If so, Apple might be looking at a release date in late 2025 or early 2026.
According to the reports, the Vision Pro’s successor will sport flat temples instead of the current rounded ones. This might mean a different speaker configuration or a lack of any audio output. References to an external audio accessory are found in the documentation, which might be a replacement for integrated speakers. The straps on the back of the headset have also changed to a flatter design.
The headset is rumored to feature cutting-edge hardware, including a TrueDepth camera, two micro-OLED displays, and infrared illuminators. Despite all this, rumors suggest the new headset will be cheaper than the first-generation Vision Pro.
If Apple can continue making premium mixed-reality headsets while selling them for cheaper and integrating gaming support for Windows PCs, they could really shake the market. The coming years are going to be exciting for enthusiasts as Apple improves its new line of headsets and the competition responds in kind.