Vision Pro: “slightly modified” hardware for Europe and Asia

Apple’s Vision Pro headset, which will be launched in Germany and other European countries on July 12, will apparently come to market in a slightly modified version compared to the US model, financial news agency Bloomberg reported. The version for France, Germany, Canada, Australia and Great Britain – and possibly also for China, Japan and Singapore, which will be released at the end of June – is therefore effective Internal code name N301Awhile the US version is called N301. It’s unclear what exactly was changed, but it may be necessary regulatory adjustments. The US version of the Vision Pro also works without any problems in Europe, as evidenced by several imports and tests from Mac and I.

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From 3999 Euros and up

The Vision Pro is sold in Germany for 3,999 euros and is slightly more expensive than in the United States, where you pay US$3,499 plus tax for the entry-level model with 256GB. Apple is said to be working internally on a cheaper model that could come out before the “Vision Pro 2”. Apple is aiming for a price of around $1,500 to $2,000 for the “Vision” (without Pro), i.e. at the level of the most expensive iPhone. The problem, according to Bloomberg, is that Apple will have to get cheaper components.

It is conceivable that the cheaper model with the code name N107 could come without the – already controversial – iSight external display. Other considerations include a slightly lower-resolution display, lower-quality passthrough (augmented reality), lower-performance SoCs or closer connections to Macs and/or iPhones. The field of view could also be reduced. Apple hopes to have it on the market by late 2025, which would be relatively early.

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Augmented reality glasses are not off the table

According to Bloomberg, Apple is thinking about faster SoCs, better external cameras, and an overall lighter system that is more comfortable to wear for the “Vision Pro 2” codenamed N109. However, the ultimate goal is to create true AR glasses that users can wear all day and are similar to regular glasses.

Research efforts within the Vision Products Group have picked up speed again. Apple is willing to invest further. However, no products are likely to be available before 2027.

(B.Sc.)