Apple Reportedly Still Planning High-End and Low-End Versions of Second-Generation Headset in 2025

Apple's second-generation AR/VR headset will be offered in high-end and low-end versions and shipments are expected to be around ten times those of the first generation model, according to Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

apple headset lens render by marcus kane

Concept render by Marcus Kane

Multiple rumors have indicated that Apple's first AR/VR headset coming later this year will be priced somewhere around $3,000 and will be positioned as a device for developers, content creators, and professionals. Apple expects to sell just one headset per day per retail store, and the company has told suppliers that it expects sales of seven to 10 million units during the first year of availability.

The expensive price point is due to the high-end hardware that Apple is using, but the company reportedly wants to make a future version more affordable by using less pricey components such as lower-resolution lenses.

That could see Apple offer a two-tiered series of the second-generation device to appeal to a wider customer base, similar to the way it offers both standard and more premium Pro-branded iPhones each year.

The company's plans to release a cheaper version were first reported by The Information's Wayne Ma and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman earlier this year, but the assertion that it will be one of two second-generation models is a more specific claim attributed to Kuo.

According to one report, Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn is already developing a cheaper second-generation version of the headset, but it is still believed to be in the early stages. Gurman has said the second-generation headset could arrive in 2024 or 2025, whereas Kuo's sources suggest to him that a 2025 release is more likely.

The first generation model of Apple's mixed reality headset is expected to be announced during Apple's WWDC opening keynote on Monday, June 5.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday October 18, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across the Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, Clock, and Safari apps. More features and changes will follow in future ...
ios 26 1 liquid glass opaque

iOS 26.1 Beta 4 Lets Users Control Liquid Glass Transparency with New Toggle

Monday October 20, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
With the fourth betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, Apple has introduced a new setting that's designed to allow users to customize the look of Liquid Glass. The toggle lets users select from a clear look for Liquid Glass, or a tinted look. Clear is the current Liquid Glass design, which is more transparent and shows the background underneath buttons, bars, and menus, while tinted ...
iPhone Siri Glow

Some Apple Employees Have 'Concerns' About iOS 26.4's Revamped Siri

Sunday October 19, 2025 7:39 am PDT by
iOS 26.4 is expected to introduce a revamped version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, but not everyone is satisfied with how well it works. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said some of Apple's software engineers have "concerns" about the overhauled Siri's performance. However, he did not provide any specific details about the shortcomings. iOS 26.4 will...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.2 Update for iPhones Coming Soon

Friday October 17, 2025 7:35 am PDT by
Apple's software engineers continue to internally test iOS 26.0.2, according to MacRumors logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. iOS 26.0.2 will be a minor update that addresses bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, but we do not know any specific details yet. The update will likely be released by the end of next week. Last month, Apple released iOS 26.0.1,...
Apple iPad Pro hero M5

New iPad Pro Has Six Key Upgrades Beyond M5 Chip

Saturday October 18, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
While the new iPad Pro's headline feature is the M5 chip, the device has some other changes, including N1 and C1X chips, faster storage speeds, and more. With the M5 chip, the new iPad Pro has up to a 20% faster CPU and up to a 40% faster GPU compared to the previous model with the M4 chip, according to Geekbench 6 results. Keep in mind that 256GB and 512GB configurations have a 9-core CPU,...
maxresdefault

Here's How the iOS 26.1 Transparency Toggle Changes Liquid Glass

Monday October 20, 2025 1:55 pm PDT by
With the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple added a toggle that makes Liquid Glass more opaque and reduces transparency. We tested the beta to see where the toggle works and what it looks like. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. If you have the latest iOS 26.1 beta, you can go to Settings > Display and Brightness to get to the new option. Tap on Liquid Glass, then...
iOS 26

What's New in iOS 26.1 Beta 4

Monday October 20, 2025 1:02 pm PDT by
Even though we're at the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple is continuing to add new features. In fact, the fourth beta has some of the biggest changes that we'll get when iOS 26.1 releases to the public later this month. We've rounded up what's new below. Liquid Glass Transparency Toggle Apple added a toggle for customizing the look of Liquid Glass. In Settings > Display and Brightness,...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

Apple's Next Rumored Products: New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and More

Thursday October 16, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple on Wednesday updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro with its next-generation M5 chip, but previous rumors have indicated that the company still plans to announce at least a few additional products before the end of the year. The following Apple products have at one point been rumored to be updated in 2025, although it is unclear if the timeframe for any of them has...
kohler toilet sensor

Kohler Launches $600 iPhone-Connected Toilet Camera That Monitors Your Health Through Waste Analysis

Monday October 20, 2025 1:42 pm PDT by
Kohler is expanding its line of bathroom products with Dekoda, an iPhone-connected device that's designed to be attached to a toilet rim (via The Verge). The device's included "sensors" point into the toilet bowl, allowing it to analyze what goes on in the bathroom. According to Kohler, Dekoda is a health tracker that can monitor gut health and hydration, as well as detect the presence of...

Top Rated Comments

DarthDon Avatar
32 months ago
apple second gen headset low high end image
Pro Ultra.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mooger83 Avatar
32 months ago
Let all the negative Nancys whine all they want.

Apple has the largest market cap in the world > $3 TRILLION and over $200 Billion in cash. I love that they are taking swings at cutting edge new products. If it fails, whatever; who cares... At least they’re playing offense instead of just rolling out predictable, boring iterations of the iPhone and their Mac line year after year. ?

And to the haters - the good news is that no one is forcing you to buy any new Apple products! ?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DrJR Avatar
32 months ago
This is going to be a massive flop. In a market TIMING is everything and this isn't the time. That is my guess. Nobody cares about AR/VR when credit card debt is at an all time high, interest rates are climbing and the economy is fundamentally crumbling, while everyone is whistling in the dark with denial. People are making payments on PHONES. It is so bad Apple has to convince customers it is a good idea to connect savings to credit accounts (so they bolster balance sheet, you are enticed into offering voluntary collateral for either your debt or others).
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MayaUser Avatar
32 months ago
what about a mid range?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JapanApple Avatar
32 months ago
ENOUGH OF THESE KUO RUMORS! I believe nothing until I see the price and design. Waste of time
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
genovelle Avatar
32 months ago
These sales numbers don’t add up. There are 525 stores worldwide, so 1 per day per store is about 191,000 units in the first year. Yet, the claim is that they expect sales of 7-10 million units in the first year. That’s 40-50 times the other number.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)