Overview
- Apple has opened a successor effort codenamed N224 that Bloomberg reported Monday, September 28, 2026, is on “life support” and may never ship.
- Engineers are testing four distinct hardware concepts, including a traditional all‑in‑one headset, a design that offloads processor and battery into an external “puck,” and new lighter materials such as plastic and titanium.
- If N224 survives internal debate it is not expected before late 2028 or early 2029 according to reporting, while Apple is prioritizing a separate, lower‑profile smart‑glasses product targeted for release by the end of 2027.
- Internal changes — including leadership moves that put the Vision team a layer further from the CEO, departures from the hardware group, and layoffs — have reduced the team’s influence and sharpened disagreements over the puck approach.
- The push to rethink Vision Pro follows weak consumer uptake of the current, heavier $3,699 headset and Meta’s new lighter, puck‑tethered VR Glasses, which have set fresh expectations about comfort, price and portability.