Apple May Launch a Vision Pro Running on the M4 Chip Later This Year

Apple is preparing to release an update to its Vision Pro headset later this year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports.

The original Vision Pro was announced at WWDC 2023 and released in the US early last year. It’s powered by an M2 chip and hasn’t received an upgrade since launch. The upcoming second-generation headset, according to Gurman, will feature improvements in both performance and comfort. 

It will come with the latest M4 processor to offer better support for Apple Intelligence features. Additionally, Apple is testing versions of the device that have more than 16 cores on the neural engine. The current M2 and M4 chips have 16 cores on the neural engine, and the M4’s CPU is already 1.5 times faster than the M2.

Apple’s also trying to redesign one of the most criticized aspects of the Vision Pro: the strap. “Two headbands are included with the Vision Pro, but neither offer quite as much balance or support as I would like,” our expert Will Greenwald noted in his review last year. The lack of a vertical headband also made the headset front-heavy. 

Apple’s improvements are expected to reduce neck strain and improve the overall weight distribution of the headset. It has already begun prototyping new straps, Gurman says. 

In addition to this, Apple is working on a lighter version of the Vision Pro, and it could be released in 2027, sources tell Gurman. It’s unclear if this is the same more-affordable version (around $2,000) of the headset Apple has been rumored to be developing since last year. 

There’s also a rumor about Apple developing two new pairs of smart glasses, one of which will rival the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses. Those glasses, however, are not expected until 2027. 

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About Jibin Joseph

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Jibin is a tech news writer based out of Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of iGeeksBlog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a broader audience.

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