[DigitalToday reporter Choi Jae-won (최재원)] Apple is reported to be considering 4 designs to develop a next-generation Vision Pro that significantly reduces weight and the burden of wearing it. The device is expected to be released as early as late 2028.

According to IT media outlet 9to5Mac on Sept. 27 (local time), the codename of the new headset Apple is developing is N224. It is separate from the Vision Air low-cost, lightweight project N100, which was halted last year, but a key goal is to make it thinner and lighter than the current Vision Pro.

N224 does not necessarily have to be released as a mass-market model. It was also reported that Apple is considering positioning it as a flagship successor to replace the Vision Pro equipped with the M5 chip, while also moving toward a lower price. As it is still in the early stages of development, a release between late 2028 and early 2029 is being discussed.

Apple is reviewing its development direction across 4 forms. One is a method of separating the battery and computing unit into an external device, similar to the VR glasses Meta recently unveiled. The current Vision Pro also keeps the battery external, but for the next-generation product, a plan is being discussed to move even the processor outside to significantly reduce the weight of the headset itself.

Views within Apple are also said to be split. Some executives are negative about a design that requires carrying a separate external computing device, and say the structure should remain as close to an all-in-one as possible.

Changes are also expected in the exterior and materials. While maintaining the basic shape of the current Vision Pro, designs are being tested to reduce weight by using plastic, titanium and other metal materials. Apple has yet to decide which of the 4 concepts it will ultimately choose.