Full Breakdown
Apple Explores Lighter Vision Pro Successor Amid Shifting XR Roadmap
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Development of the N224 Headset
Apple’s Vision team is engineering a “completely revamped headset” under the internal code name N224. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman says engineers are evaluating roughly four design concepts to reduce the Vision Pro’s bulk. The most aggressive timeline places a possible shipment window between late 2028 and early 2029. The project is described as being on “life support,” indicating development continues but the product’s fate remains uncertain.
Background and Context
The original Vision Pro launched in 2023 and entered the U.S. market in February 2024 at $3,499. A refresh in October 2025 upgraded the headset to an M5 chip but kept the same enclosure, external battery pack, and price tier. Frequent criticisms have been its weight (750–800 g plus a 353-g battery pack) and premium cost. An earlier “Vision Air” project, rumored to be a cheaper, lighter model, was reportedly shelved as Apple reorganized its XR roadmap.
Design Concepts and Technical Trade-offs
The four concepts fall into two families:
- All-in-one redesigns that keep all components inside the headset while experimenting with lighter housings such as plastic, titanium, and other metals.
- External-puck variants that relocate the compute module and battery to a separate clip-on unit, mirroring Meta’s newly announced VR Glasses. Meta’s puck weighs roughly 300 g and its glasses about 100 g. Apple’s current battery pack is 353 g, so moving the processor would further offload weight from the head.
Senior Apple decision-makers have reportedly expressed reservations about the puck approach, preferring a fully integrated headset.
Official Statements & Responses
Apple has not issued any public comment on the N224 project, the external-puck debate, or the reported job reductions.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Gurman’s assessment: N224 is alive but on “life support,” with engineers testing multiple concepts and no guarantee of a launch.
- Ming-Chi Kuo’s analysis (June 3): Kuo reported that senior Apple leader John Ternus approved an overhaul that removed every Vision Pro successor from the XR roadmap, leaving only two smart-glasses products.
The two accounts differ on whether a next-generation Vision Pro-style headset is still being pursued. Neither source provides definitive confirmation of a final design, pricing, or release schedule.
What’s Next
- Late 2028 – early 2029: Potential window for an N224 shipment, contingent on engineering outcomes.
- Late 2027: Apple aims to unveil its first generation of display-less smart glasses at WWDC, according to Gurman.
- Supply-chain signals: Samsung Display’s G-VR micro-OLED panel program, a likely cost-driver for a lighter headset, is slated to wind down by September 2026. Procurement teams are advised to watch for new display contracts as evidence of Apple’s commitment to a successor.