Apple has a new Vision Pro in the works, but a new headset is unlikely before 2028

Apple is reportedly developing a new Vision Pro headset, but as per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the project is still in early stages and may not reach consumers until late 2028 or early 2029. The company is said to be working on multiple design concepts, including lighter models and offload computing power to external devices. This is the same approach which Facebook-parent Meta opted for in its recently launched VR Glasses.Apple’s struggles with the Vision ProThe Vision Pro, launched in February 2024 at nearly $4,000, has struggled to gain traction. Sales remain sluggish, with some Apple retail stores reporting only a handful of units sold each month. Internally, Apple has shelved several headset prototypes over the past two years, including Vision Air (N100) and N109, both aimed at reducing weight and cost. Leadership changes under new CEO John Ternus have further reshaped the Vision hardware team, signaling skepticism about the product’s long-term viability.Apple's Vision team is working on the new headsetApple's Vision team is working on the new headset under the code name N224. Engineers are exploring about four concepts. Some of them offload internal components to an external unit, the same approach Meta used in its new VR Glasses, which Gurman says weigh one-sixth as much as the Vision Pro at one-third of the price.Not everyone at Apple is on board with that direction. Gurman reports that some senior decision-makers see an external puck as a poor user experience and want Apple to stay closer to an all-in-one design. He describes the work as being on "life support" while the company weighs a new direction, and there is no guarantee the device will ever ship.The pattern of cancelled headsetsN224 follows several shelved projects. About two years ago, Apple dropped N107, a design that would have offloaded computing to a Mac or other device to cut the headset's bulk. A year ago it shelved N100, a "Vision Air" that would have moved more components into an external pack. Another project, N109, envisioned as a lighter, cheaper Vision Pro with a less powerful chip, was also cancelled.The Vision Pro launched in February 2024 and has not sold well. Gurman says Apple retail employees report that many stores are lucky to sell one unit a month, and Apple now promotes the roughly $4,000 device for uses such as surgery, effectively positioning it as a specialist product.What’s Next for AppleApple engineers are now working on a revamped headset under the code name N224, exploring four different concepts. Some designs mimic Meta’s external computing puck, while others stick closer to Apple’s all-in-one philosophy. However, insiders describe the project as being on “life support,” with no guarantee it will ever launch. For now, Apple is focusing on smart glasses and other wearables, including AirPods with camera sensors and a fitness-style band.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.