Well, well, well. It looks like Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro headset, the so-called “spatial computing revolution”, is quietly being nudged toward the back of the product roadmap. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and corroborated by Reuters, Apple has reportedly shelved its plans for a lighter, cheaper Vision Pro redesign (code-named N100) and is now reallocating resources to fast-track a pair of Meta-style AR glasses. Because nothing says “visionary” like pivoting to the thing your competitor already launched.
This shift isn’t just a product tweak; it’s a strategic retreat. Apple’s internal teams are now focused on developing lightweight, phone-paired smart glasses (code-named N50) that resemble conventional eyewear and rely heavily on voice interaction and AI. Sound familiar? That’s because Meta already unveiled its Ray-Ban Display glasses and Oakley-branded Vanguard line last month, complete with wristband controllers and a sub-$1,000 price tag. Apple’s version? Still vaporware.
Let’s be honest, most of us who aren’t part of the Apple echo chamber saw this coming. The Vision Pro was a technical marvel, sure. Gorgeous visuals, slick gesture controls, seamless Apple ecosystem integration. But it was also heavy, expensive, and deeply impractical. At $3,499, it was priced like a luxury car but offered the content library of a startup demo reel. And despite Apple’s usual bluster about “changing the way we live,” the headset never found its footing beyond developer circles and tech influencers trying to justify the purchase.
Unlike the iPhone, iPad, or MacBook, all of which entered markets with clear demand and obvious use cases, the Vision Pro felt like Apple chasing hype. VR headsets have been around for years, and none have cracked mainstream adoption. So Apple’s decision to go big on a niche product, while ignoring the price and comfort issues that plague the category, felt more like hubris than strategy.
Now Apple wants to pivot to AR glasses and AI, two buzzword-heavy categories that are still searching for their killer apps. The new glasses reportedly won’t even have their own display at first, instead pairing with an iPhone and relying on voice commands and AI assistance. That’s not exactly groundbreaking. It’s more like Apple playing catch-up while pretending it’s leading the charge.
And let’s not forget: Apple is still lagging behind in AI. While Google flexes its Gemini model and Meta integrates Llama into its products, Apple’s AI strategy remains vague and underwhelming. The September iPhone event barely mentioned AI at all, and now the company wants to build an entire product category around it?
Apple’s pivot to AR glasses might be the right move but it’s not the bold one. It’s a concession. A quiet admission that the Vision Pro was too expensive, too bulky, and too niche to succeed. And while Apple fanboys will spin this as “refining the vision,” the rest of us see it for what it is: a company that’s used to defining markets now chasing one it doesn’t fully understand.
The irony? Apple used to be the one that made competitors scramble. Now it’s the one racing to ship something that looks suspiciously like Meta’s last keynote.
