Apple Vision Pro development has faced a notable setback, with the company reportedly laying off an entire team dedicated to virtual reality. The move aligns with incoming chief executive John Ternus said to be placing the category on hold, raising questions about the pace of progress in spatial computing.
At least 60 employees connected to Apple’s VR efforts, the Apple Vision Group and related roles have been let go. While this does not mark the end of the group, it signals a clear cooling for the category. The team has not been fully disbanded, and work on the Vision Pro, future iterations and smart glasses running visionOS is expected to continue.
Why the Vision Pro Struggled to Gain Traction
The Apple Vision Pro launched with a high price and a steep barrier to entry, owing to its heavy design and limited developer support. In the years since, little has shifted to change that position. Rising component costs forced Apple to increase the already substantial price of the headset, placing it even further out of reach for many consumers.
At the same time, buyer interest has moved towards smart glasses as the more immediate future, rather than bulky VR headsets. The technology required to produce a thinner, lighter and more affordable model either does not yet exist or remains too costly to manufacture, creating significant challenges for the product line.
A Shift Towards Siri AI and Smart Glasses
Rather than maintain a product group without a clear near-term output, Apple has carried out restructuring in recent months. The priority now rests on Siri AI and smart glasses, rather than a headset that cannot feasibly be built at present. The VR team has shrunk in response to these difficulties.
It is considered highly unlikely that John Ternus intends to end the product line entirely. Downsizing the team while concentrating on smart glasses represents the more sensible approach for the time being. The Apple Vision Pro was a necessary product, launched to allow Apple to develop visionOS in public view, with the category expected eventually to lead to a set of full augmented reality glasses.
Speculation is likely to follow suggesting Apple has abandoned the Vision Pro. However, visionOS 27 arrived in June, and work on future iterations of the headset remains ongoing.
Source
Image: appleinsider.com
