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Apple heeft goedkopere VR headset nodig infographic
Graphic shows how Apple could make a cheaper mixed reality headset.
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Hoe Apple een goedkopere VR-headset zou kunnen ontwerpen

By Ninian Carter

June 12, 2023 - Priced at $3,500, the Vision Pro mixed reality headset is seven times more expensive than its nearest rival, the Meta Quest. However, Apple has plans for a cheaper iteration.

Apple’s new Vision Pro mixed reality headset, capable of displaying virtual reality and augmented reality, will retail for an eye-watering $3,500 – apparently very close to the cost of building it.

At this price point, seven times the cost of Meta’s upcoming Quest 3 headset, the Vision Pro is simply too expensive to have a successful future.

Which is why Apple is already working on a cheaper headset design that will sell more units.

The Vision Pro name itself suggests a non-pro version will be coming to market, in rather the same way that iPhone models are marketed today.

In order to build a cheaper headset, Apple will need to cheapen or remove several components – the priciest being its camera and sensor array, its dual Apple silicon chips and the twin 4K micro-OLED virtual reality displays.

A non-pro model could use lower quality screens, an iPhone-grade chip and fewer cameras – for a lesser performance.

It could also design a cheaper headband, remove the speakers (requiring users to wear AirPods), create a manual eye adjustment mechanism and remove the 3D camera.

Add to this a more refined assembly process using a cheaper frame, and economies of scale, and Apple could likely shave hundreds dollars off the price.

Apple plans to release a cheaper model at the end of 2025, along with a second-generation Vision Pro with a faster processor.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 12/06/2023; STORY: Graphic News
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