Report: Apple is already designing a lighter Vision Pro to fix “neck strain”

Enlarge / Apple's Vision Pro headset. (credit: Samuel Axon)

When it jumps into a new market for the first time, Apple has a long history of releasing intriguing first-generation devices, followed by second- or third-generation revisions that realize the full potential of the original idea. Examples of this phenomenon include the second-generation iPod, which expanded compatibility beyond the Mac; the iPhone 3G refresh that increased cellular data speeds and ushered in the App Store; the 2010 MacBook Air refresh that switched to all-SSD storage and defined the template for the modern laptop; and the long-lived iPad 2, which did most of the same things as the first iPad but in a much faster and lighter package.

Apple is already working on a next-generation version of its Vision Pro headset to address early complaints about the as-yet-unreleased first-generation model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The headset's roughly 1-pound weight has apparently "caused neck strain" among some testers, and Apple allegedly sees the not-yet-finalized optional top strap as an imperfect solution to the problem. Apple also wants to reduce the device's size along with its weight.

Apple is also considering changing the way that prescription lenses are built into the headset. The initial version will use interchangeable Zeiss lenses that attach to the headset magnetically, but next-gen versions could have prescription lenses built-in during manufacturing.