Apple is quietly preparing the next chapter in its ambitious spatial computing strategy, with reports suggesting the company is simultaneously exploring a performance-boosted Vision Pro update, a more affordable “Vision Air” and even smart glasses.
A refreshed Vision Pro
In the short term, Apple is expected to unveil a modest update to its flagship Vision Pro headset, reported 9to5Mac. While the hardware design could remain largely unchanged, the company is tipped to swap out the existing M2 chip for its upcoming M5 processor, offering users a noticeable leap in speed and efficiency. A more powerful neural engine is also being considered to bolster artificial intelligence performance.
Apple is said to be trialling redesigned head straps to improve comfort and reduce the weight distribution on users’ heads. Beyond these refinements, the update is expected to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
Vision Pro for the Mac?
Further ahead, attention may turn to a Mac-dependent version of the Vision Pro. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a model designed to connect directly to Macs, targeting specialist industries that rely on high-end graphics performance, such as medicine and aviation.
This version is anticipated to prioritise ultra-low latency for streaming Mac displays or integrating enterprise-grade applications. The project appears to borrow from earlier Apple concepts for augmented reality glasses, now reimagined as a headset solution.
The long-rumoured Vision Air
Perhaps the most highly anticipated addition to Apple’s roadmap could be a lighter, more affordable headset.
Nicknamed “Vision Air”, this device has been in rumour mills since before the original Vision Pro launched. Gurman reports that Apple aims to address weight-related complaints, particularly neck strain, while also lowering the cost barrier.
Glasses on the horizon
Although true augmented reality spectacles remain years away, Apple could also be working on a separate category of lightweight smart glasses. Unlike the Vision Pro, these may not include displays but instead pack microphones, speakers and cameras. Gurman suggests these could debut in 2026, placing Apple in direct competition with Meta’s Ray-Ban.
Apple’s long game
Taken together, these projects may underline Apple’s multi-layered strategy in spatial computing, refine its premium Vision Pro, prepare an enterprise-focused Mac edition, develop a mass market for “Vision Air,” and lay the groundwork for a glasses-based future.
