Work on Apple’s next Vision Pro headset has slowed to the point that the project is on “life support,” Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in his Sunday “Power On” newsletter, as summarized by AppleInsider. The successor may not reach customers until late 2028 or early 2029, if it launches at all, while Apple concentrates on smart glasses planned for the end of 2027.

What Happened

According to Gurman, Apple teams are exploring roughly four concepts for a fully redesigned headset, code-named N224. One of them would move some internal components out of the headset and into a separate unit, possibly a puck, an approach similar to the one Meta has taken.

That option faces resistance at the top. Some senior Apple decision-makers view an external puck or tethered battery as a poor user experience, a lesson they drew from the current Vision Pro’s separate battery pack, and prefer to keep an all-in-one design. The challenge is making such a device lighter and cheaper at the same time, AppleInsider noted.

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Apple’s nearer-term focus is smart glasses. Gurman reiterated that the company is targeting a release by the end of 2027 for a first model with audio, cameras and AI features but no display, similar in concept to Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses. A later version would add a display.

Why It Matters

The report signals a shift in Apple’s wearable strategy away from a premium mixed-reality headset and toward lighter devices built around AI assistance. The original Vision Pro launched at a high price and did not reach mainstream buyers, and a delay to 2028 or beyond would leave the product line without a full successor for years.

Competition is sharpening the choice. Gurman framed Meta’s newly announced VR Glasses as the kind of device the Vision Pro should have been. Gizmodo reported that Meta’s glasses ship in spring 2027 and are far lighter and less cumbersome than earlier headsets, addressing the weight and comfort problems that have held the Vision Pro back.

Leadership Changes

Organizational shifts may also be affecting the project’s standing. Gizmodo and Cult of Mac reported that after John Ternus became Apple’s chief executive, the Vision Products Group now reports through chief hardware officer Johny Srouji, placing it further from the CEO.

Ternus has spoken warmly about the headset in public, calling Vision Pro an amazing device and the early days of a long journey, and pointing to uses such as surgeons adopting it. He has not confirmed plans for a successor, and Apple does not comment on unreleased products.

What to Watch

The key milestones are Apple’s end-of-2027 target for its first glasses and whether any of the N224 concepts wins internal approval, particularly the contested puck design. Meta’s spring 2027 launch will provide the first market test of whether lighter VR glasses can succeed where heavier headsets struggled, and could influence which direction Apple chooses.