Apple is working on a less expensive version of its Vision Pro mixed reality headset, which debuted in the US in April at a high price of $3,499 (about ₹2.95 lakh). Although the Vision Pro is still unavailable in places like India, rumours indicate the tech behemoth is eager to increase its popularity by developing a less expensive substitute that might be available in a few years.
Apple plans to reduce expenses by moving to a less costly display technology that preserves a high pixel density, per a report by The Elec. The OLED on Silicon (OLEDoS) display of the first-generation Vision Pro has a density of 3,391 pixels per inch (ppi). Nevertheless, Apple is reportedly considering a panel with a lower pixel density of about 1,500 ppi for the next headset. Even though this is only slightly more than half of the Vision Pro’s existing specifications, it is still far superior to those of typical smartphone screens, guaranteeing a sharp visual experience.
Apple may use Samsung’s White OLED with Color Filter (W-OLED+CF) technology in place of its OLEDoS display to do this. With this alternate display solution, Apple can keep stunning images at a reduced cost by using a colour filter to transform the white OLED output into rich colours. The Vision Pro’s silicon backplane might be replaced by a glass one in Apple’s low-cost headset, which is slightly thicker but more economical.
According to reports, Apple wants to avoid making the display thicker by integrating the colour filter into the thin-film encapsulation on a single sheet of glass. These high-density W-OLED+CF panels, with specs catered to Apple’s particular needs, are anticipated to be supplied mainly by Samsung.
Although Apple fans would be excited to see this more reasonably priced mixed reality headset, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently predicted it might be available in 2027. Due to Apple’s protracted development cycle and the intricate technologies, fans will probably have to wait years before receiving any new upgrades.
