Not long after Apple announced the Vision Pro at WWDC, rumors about its inevitable follow-up began to spread. In June, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in his newsletter that a second-generation headset was already in the works and that it would add several major new features. We’re still months out from the launch of Apple Vision Pro, but now MacRumors has shared a report of its own spoiling even more Vision Pro 2 details.
According to MacRumors, Apple’s second-generation headset “bears striking resemblance to the first-generation Vision Pro.” It’ll feature the same curved aesthetics and button placement as the original device, but the speaker will have a new home. MacRumors also claims that the device is known internally as Project Alaska and device identifier N109.
Sources say that early designs of the new headset do not include the rounded areas that house the speakers on the current model. Instead, Apple has placed “temples that are flat and uniform throughout their entire length” on the headset.
MacRumors’ sources apparently saw documentation from Apple about the next Vision Pro as well. Those documents contain references to an audio accessory but don’t provide any details. MacRumors suggests it could be an external speaker. They also reveal that Apple considered two designs for the top vents, “one being the same as the vents on the first-generation Apple Vision Pro, and the latter featuring two clusters of tiny speaker-type holes.”
Another potential change is simpler rear straps that look more like “flat straps commonly found on laptop bags or backpacks.” Plus, the sources suggest that Apple might be sticking with the external battery pack, which will also be available for the Vision Pro.
MacRumors also provided a list of key hardware components for Project Alaska:
- 2 micro-OLED displays
- 1 TrueDepth camera
- 4 computer vision (CV) cameras
- 2 RGB cameras
- 2 low light infrared illuminators
- Semi-automatic interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment
- Compass, ambient light sensor, magnetometer, accelerometer, gyroscope
The second-generation Apple Vision Pro is reportedly scheduled to enter the product validation testing (PVT) stage of development in 2025. That would align with a late 2025 or early 2026 release date for the next-generation headset. Of course, Apple’s plans could change depending on a variety of factors, such as the success of the first-gen Vision Pro.
