Apple Vision Pro 2: M5 Upgrade, Apple Intelligence And When It's Expected To Launch

As a user of the Apple Vision Pro, I can tell you right away that the device has a long way to go. The technology is impressive, and build quality is top notch, for starters. Where it starts to lose points is in its infamously high starting price and heavy weight. The use case for this device is limited, after being wowed by a few immersive experiences, I found that I just do not have much more interest in the device and it sits unused most of the time. 

Sales have also been slow, which is likely expected due to the pricey start its life. 

Apple invested a lot into this platform, and recent rumors suggest that a Vision Pro 2 is coming. With focus on its AI spatial computing with Apple Intelligence, the path forward is still being forged by Apple. Supposedly packing the M5 Apple silicon chip, that will be the first practical upgrade from the existing M2 in the Vision Pro. 

Furthermore, Apple Intelligence should be further along in development than it is now. Even the latest iPhone 16 models do not yet fully support Apple Intelligence, with a staggered beta rollout occurring during the next few months. The Apple Vision Pro 2 may come out in the latter half of 2025, but that is speculative. 

There is certainly a lot to improve with AI in the Vision Pro 2, since it relies so heavily on gestures, eye tracking, and things that can benefit from such technology. While it is hard to speculate what price targets will be, increasing the desire for users to actually use the device is paramount. 

How can the Apple Vision Pro 2 be more successful? First, improve on pricing, ether by offering a cheaper model, or increasing the value you get with the more expensive model. Second, improve comfort and wearability, which naturally will mean a weight reduction. The most important third point is to incentivize and invest in an app ecosystem that makes users want to pick up the device. 

The current Vision Pro is excellent for watching movies, giving you an immersive experience. Productivity is limited, even with a large screen in front of you, it's just not comfortable for hours on end of work. Right now, I much prefer the iPad Pro for leisurely reading and most entertainment, the Vision Pro only excels at movie watching currently. 

With early returns hitting the media channels soon after release, the Vision Pro likely does not have the largest audience yet. The start truth may be that virtual and augmented reality are never really something that becomes appropriate for the mass market, like a telephone is. Meta is certainly trying to make devices smaller and more natural, such as its recent AR Glasses announcement. These are not for sale, and merely development devices currently, but the effort is being made in this regard. 

Apple needs to make the Vision Pro 2 seamless to use and integrate into everyday life, much like the iPhone has done. This is a tall order, and one that may just not be practical as most people do not seem to like wearing a device like this for longer than a short period of time (even if smaller and lighter, it still separates humans from their environments, which is OK for a brief entertainment period, but not extended periods).