Apple sees the future in headsets: may work on new Vision Pro, Vision Air and smart glasses

The renowned and reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has his expectations for Apple’s Headset-Tukom last week shared. According to him, Apple seems to want to focus full on the Vision Pro and the extensions on it.

This way we can expect a new Apple Vision Pro with M5 chip this year and a cheaper model would be expected in 2027. Smart glasses are also expected. Time to discuss the roadmap of Ming-Chi Kuo.

Vision series: Pro, Air and the second generation

• M5 Vision Pro (2025): Apple would be working on an update of the Vision Pro, which is expected to go into mass production in the third quarter of 2025. The new version, referred to as the M5 Vision Pro, may only get a faster processor, where the rest of the specifications remains the same. KUO estimates that between 150,000 and 200,000 units will be delivered until the end of 2025.

• Vision Air (2027): The cheaper Vision Air, the counterpart of the original Vision Pro, is expected in the third quarter of 2027. This version would be 40% lighter than the current model and is made from plastic and magnesium alloy instead of glass and aluminum. The Air also gets a “high-end” iPhone processor instead of an M-chip, no eyeight and fewer sensors, which must further press the price.

• Second generation Vision Pro (2028): The second generation Vision Pro will probably be on the market in the second half of 2028. This model will receive a new design, a Mac processor, will be cheaper and considerably lighter than the original Vision Pro.

Apple Glasses: smart glasses and XR technology

• First generation Apple Glasses (2027): In contrast to earlier rumors that the first Apple Glasses would appear in 2026, KUO now expects mass production to start in the second quarter of 2027. Between 3 and 5 million copies are expected. The glasses will be available in various frames and materials, with functions such as voice and gesture recognition, photo and video registration, AI-controlled environment sensors and audio. The smart glasses are best compared with the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses that is already for sale in some countries.

• XR smartglasses (2028 or later): Apple works on two models of smart glasses with built -in display. The first model with display will be taken into mass production in 2028 and will receive both voice and gesture control. The display uses Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) and Waveguide technology. A second model with display is also developing, but details and a release date are not yet known.