What a "Vision SE" could be.

[Rychiar]

As correctly implied by #7, the "lower cost" one people seem to be imagining tends to be priced FARRRRRRR below $3499. I've seen people offering up prices of $500-$1500. The only way Apple gets to that one is making huge cuts to the tech in the $3499 version... stuff like:

• Switch from 4K per eye to 1080p or maybe 720p.
• Cut the camera quantity and quality... or even all of them and thus the hands-based interface too.
• Perhaps go all plastic for the body.
• Eliminate the Eyesight feature.
• Make all "includeds" flip into "sold separatelys" including the essentials like the straps.
• Etc.

...AND probably build in a cellular feature so that the up to about $1000 cell phone subsidy could be included* in the deal... with 2-year contract.

Apple will demand the Apple margin and that is trending towards about HALF of all the money spent for whatever we buy from Apple. When you start there against a "low price", there is not that much money left to build something "pretty good" with what remains. For example, if the target price is $1200, Apple would be limited to about $600 to pay for the actual parts involved in the product. $1000 = about $500, $1500 = about $750. $500 = about $250

For this kind of cheaper pricing, go "Android/Windows" (basically): Quest, XReal and similar. They already have much chopped down (relative) specs, up to NO cameras, up to NO on-board computing (leaning instead on a computer to which they are attached), up to no battery (leaning on the device to which they are attached), etc... which is fundamental to getting their "much cheaper than Vpro" pricing.

There is no "keep all quality things the same but deliver a much lower price" option... unless Apple opts to take a huge hit to their target margin... which seems least likely of all possibilities. Expect smallish discounts of maybe 10%-15% when early returns hit the refurb store in about 6+ months, maybe a bit more when Version 2 is rolled out... but then you are buying "old technology." How much is "a bit more?" Look to old generation relative pricing of existing Apple tech for sale to get an approx. percentage discount from $3499. It doesn't plunge to sub $2K.

They’re not lowering the resolution. 1080 or 720 per eye would be abysmal. In fact this product would be useless without its current screens. Thats its selling point. It’s not like it has fun games that can get away with quest 2 level resolutions

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I agree... but people are imagining pricing as low as sub-$1K. I can't see any way to get there without big chops to key features and I've heard that 4K-per-eye lenses are a major part driving the price UP to where it is. So to get prices people think they want/imagine in "the cheaper one" that seems like it must be cut down to resolutions like the existing "cheaper ones" offered as preferred price points.

 

[Rychiar]

I agree... but people are imagining pricing as low as sub-$1K. I can't see any way to get there without big chops to key features and I've heard that 4K-per-eye lenses are a major part driving the price UP to where it is. So to get prices people think they want/imagine in "the cheaper one" that seems like it must be cut down to resolutions like the existing "cheaper ones" offered as preferred price points.

Time will bring it down but by then we’ll switch to micro LED in the pro

 

[Mr.Fox]

So just going by how Apple has done things in the past, with making the first thing the "cheaper" thing in a lot of ways here is what I would guess:

Actual hardware itself is identical in every way to the Vision Pro. There may be advancements in how it is constructed to make it cheaper to construct and faster, maybe they would put in a "R2" chip to improve latency, as I think they have done similar things when introducing SE versions of the watch or when they introduced Apple Watch Series 0 and 2.

Much of the "cost savings" comes with what isn't in the box.
-256GB
-No power adapter
-No polishing cloth
-A "One size fits all" cushion/seal (some sort of adapter can be used if wearing glasses)
-dual loop band no solo knit band
-no cover
-much smaller packaging
-Launches in 2026 for $1500-2000 or add another $200 to that if there's an option to have a bigger SD.

Thoughts?

It's all cardboard. Elastic band from underpants. You can get a pillow from home. Memory - you adjust your iPhone ))))) Already on sale. If you are too lazy to buy, you can do it yourself. Sticker apple sticker glue as you want - feel yourself an apple designer

 

[JPack]

Answer: Apple is lowering the resolution as expected.

Not sure why some think 4K resolution is non-negotiable. It's the software and ecosystem that's non-negotiable. As I mentioned earlier, look at the iPhone XR.

Apple Likely Planning to Use Bigger, Lower Resolution Displays for Cheaper Vision Headset

Apple is exploring new suppliers for OLED-on-Silicon panels, likely signaling the development of a more affordable headset destined to sit alongside...

www.macrumors.com