Meta Turns Apple's Abandoned Vision Pro Design into Reality with VR Glasses

Apple had a plan to make its Vision Pro headset lighter and cheaper by relying on connected devices like iPhones or Macs, but ultimately scrapped it. Meta Platforms has now taken this approach and turned it into a mass-market product with its $1,299 VR Glasses.

Bloomberg columnist Mark Gurman revealed that Apple explored two projects: N107, which aimed to reduce the processing requirements of Vision Pro by using an external computing module, and N109, a second-generation Vision Pro with a faster processor and improved cameras. Both were shelved as Apple reassessed its headset strategy.

Gurman tested Meta's device for nearly an hour and was impressed by its comfort and compact design, which weighs just one-sixth of the Vision Pro. However, the Meta headset has some compromises, such as letting in a 'noticeable amount' of light and requiring manual eye-distance adjustment.

Apple is now reportedly working on developing smart glasses, code-named N224, as direct competition to Meta's Ray-Ban lineup. This move reflects Apple's renewed exploration of lighter and potentially less expensive headset designs, with the goal of launching the product by the end of next year.