Apple is reportedly giving up on the Vision Pro, as next-gen headset gets canned

According to a new report over at MacRumors, citing sources within Apple, the company currently has no plans to launch a new Vision Pro-like headset. And this all stems from the initial Vision Pro and M5-powered refresh failing to garner a sizable audience. Apparently, Apple has sold only around 600,000 Vision Pro headsets since its initial launch, and, for an Apple product, the company has seen an "unusually high percentage of returns."

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Naturally, one of the big hurdles for the Vision Pro becoming a runaway success was its high price tag of $3,499. And although the M5 refresh also improved weight distribution and battery life, along with a 10% performance bump and support for 120 Hz, it wasn't enough to move the needle.

Another big hurdle for the Vision Pro, and one now reinforced by lower-than-expected sales, is that virtual and augmented reality headsets are still widely viewed as niche products. And even for fans of the immersion these types of headsets provide, they're certainly not an everyday or all-day device like a laptop or smartphone.

The report also confirms that the company is no longer working on the lighter, presumably more affordable Vision Air. According to the report, it's no longer in development, and the Vision Pro team has now been redistributed across the company. Apparently, Mike Rockwell, who led the Vision Pro team, is now back in charge of Siri.

Does this mean that the Vision Pro is gone forever? Not quite, as the report indicates it could be revived if Apple can develop a more affordable and comfortable headset. And one final tidbit, apparently, the Vision Pro's tech won't be making its way into Apple's smart glasses augmented reality initiative, as that's a much smaller, low-power device.