Apple's Next Vision Pro Could Put Weight Before Price

Apple may be treating weight, not price, as the first problem to solve for its next Vision Pro. A new report says the company is testing several headset concepts under the N224 project, including lighter materials and a design that moves both computing hardware and the battery into an external puck.

That sounds like the right priority to me. A lower price would expand the audience, but a headset still has to feel comfortable after the demo ends. The current Vision Pro can deliver excellent displays and precise tracking, yet none of that removes the pressure users feel on their face and head during a long work session or movie.

The current weight explains Apple's focus

Apple's own technical specifications list the current headset at 750 to 800 grams, or 26.4 to 28.2 ounces, depending on its configuration. The separate battery adds another 353 grams. The Dual Knit Band spreads the load more evenly, but it does not make that mass disappear.

For context, 800 grams is close to holding a full bottle of water against the front of your head. The battery sits elsewhere, so the comparison is not exact, but it shows why balance and material choice matter as much as the number on a scale. A headset can be technically lighter and still feel worse if the center of gravity moves forward.

Apple has a lot packed into the device. The current model uses 23 million display pixels, four eye-tracking cameras, six world-facing tracking cameras, two high-resolution main cameras, a TrueDepth camera, LiDAR, four inertial measurement units, an M5 chip, and the low-latency R1 processor. Removing weight without sacrificing those systems is a difficult engineering job.

N224 appears to be a flagship successor

9to5Mac's September 27 report, based on Bloomberg's Power On newsletter, says N224 could arrive between late 2028 and early 2029. It is described as a successor to the M5 Vision Pro rather than a guaranteed low-cost “Vision Air.” Apple reportedly has four concepts in development, so the final hardware is far from settled.

One concept keeps the general shape of today's headset while experimenting with plastic, titanium, other metals, and different material combinations. That route could preserve the all-in-one feel while shaving mass from the glass-and-aluminum construction. The downside is straightforward: plastic can reduce weight, but Apple would need to maintain stiffness, heat management, optical alignment, and the premium finish expected at this price.

Titanium is not automatically a solution either. It is strong for its weight, which can help with thin structural parts, but it costs more and is harder to machine than aluminum. The useful question is not whether Apple puts “titanium” on a product page. It is how many grams the material saves in the parts that actually contribute to front-heavy pressure.

An external puck trades face weight for cables

Another concept reportedly moves the processor and battery into a separate puck, similar to the approach used by some recent mixed-reality glasses. Vision Pro already has a cabled battery, so expanding that box to hold the main compute hardware is not a completely new interaction model.

The benefit is clear. Moving the hottest and heaviest electronics off the face could allow a slimmer shell, less active cooling near the user's temples, and better weight distribution. Apple could also make the puck easier to upgrade or replace than a tightly integrated headset, although no modular plan has been reported.

The compromise is the cable and the second object. A puck needs a pocket, belt clip, or shoulder strap. It can snag when the wearer moves, and it shifts part of the experience from “put on the headset” to “wear a small computer.” Apple executives are reportedly divided on that approach, with some preferring an all-in-one design.

A lighter Vision Pro may not be a cheaper one

The current M5 Vision Pro starts at $3,699, according to MacRumors' updated product guide. N224 might cost less, but the reporting does not position affordability as its fixed goal. New materials, custom displays, specialized sensors, and a redesigned compute package could keep the bill high even if Apple cuts significant weight.

Battery life also remains part of the equation. Apple's current specification is up to 2.5 hours of general use or three hours of video playback. A smaller headset cannot simply accept a smaller external battery if Apple wants it to handle films, Mac display sessions, or professional spatial work without constant charging.

I would judge the next Vision Pro by three numbers: headset weight, continuous battery life, and starting price. Apple does not need to win all three at once, but it needs a visible improvement in at least two. For now, N224 is an early project with a broad 2028–2029 window. The encouraging part is that Apple appears to be working on the limitation users can feel before the first app even opens.

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