Apple Vision Pro 2 reportedly to start at $1500, Samsung entering supply chain

If the Apple Vision Pro 2 does start at $1,500 it would significantly lower the barrier to entry into Apple’s XR universe. That is less than half the price of the current Vision Pro. However, this new headset will probably not feel as premium either and might even drop the ‘Pro’ from its name.

So how can Apple lower the cost of its XR headset by such a significant amount? We recently saw that the company was confused about how to make a cheaper Vision Pro. Well, there can be a few different ways.

Hugo Barra, former Head of Oculus, called the Vision Pro an over-engineered devkit back in March. This wasn’t a critique as much as a statement of fact. According to Barra, the Vision Pro had a lot more sensors than were needed to provide the same experience. Something he said was typical of first-gen products hitting the market.

So that’s the first thing Apple can change, in my opinion. Second would be the build of the headset itself. The current Vision Pro is gorgeous to look at and premium to the touch with its aluminum and glass build. But it’s also heavy and this premium construction is costly. I’d wager a cheaper Vision Pro would be more plastic.

And according to the rumors, Apple is looking to contract Chinese supplier SeeYA for the headset’s displays. This also has the potential to cut down manufacturing costs. The current displays on the Vision Pro, fantastic micro-OLEDs, are supplied by Sony.

SeeYA has sent samples to Apple and is awaiting evaluation. Worth noting is that there were similar reports of Apple contracting SeeYA last year too when Sony couldn’t keep up with demand for the headset’s release.

Samsung might also be entering the Vision Pro supply chain. Though rivals when it comes to their flagship smartphones, this could be a mutually beneficial arrangement for both companies. Samsung is looking to supply the DRAM (dynamic random access memory) for the Vision Pro.

Currently the Vision Pro’s bespoke DRAM is provided by SK Hynix. SK Hynix is also a South Korean manufacturer and the second largest memory chip manufacturer in the world after Samsung. If Apple is looking to partner with Samsung, it might be to reduce costs for future headsets.

This is all very exciting news, personally. Apple’s entry into the XR market was marred by the cost of its offering. Meanwhile Meta opened up Horizon OS for third parties, establishing itself even more across the industry.

The Vision Pro is one of the best AR headsets on the market. And what it does do, it does exceptionally well. But until it’s within reach of the average consumer it’s going to struggle to see widespread adoption. Even if half of the Fortune 100 companies bought one.