Sources: Apple considers options for its headsets, including moving compute to iPhone, and is working on homeOS; new Masimo CEO could enable a deal with Apple
Meta's latest AR glasses and cheaper mixed-reality headset add pressure on Apple to make its Vision push work.
BloombergMark Gurman
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple’s headset planning is unfolding as Meta prepares both a cheaper Quest and an Orion AR-glasses prototype, while adding AI features to Ray-Ban Meta products in its broader wearable push. That competitive backdrop makes Apple’s exploration of a lighter, iPhone-linked architecture strategically meaningful rather than a standalone hardware experiment.
The report also joins Apple’s headset work to home software and a possible reset with Masimo. Subsequent coverage points to a lower-priced headset and wider home strategy, suggesting Apple is evaluating several connected-device entry points rather than relying on one premium Vision product.
First-order effects
Apple can evaluate whether shifting some headset compute to the iPhone would reduce the device-side burden and make its headset lineup more flexible; this remains an option under consideration, not a committed product plan.
A new Masimo CEO could reopen the path to a deal with Apple, potentially changing the immediate posture around the companies’ conflict.
Second-order effects
Meta’s cheaper mixed-reality hardware and AR-glasses work raise the urgency for Apple to define a more accessible wearable position; an iPhone-linked design would lean on Apple’s existing device base rather than compete only at the high end.
If Apple advances homeOS alongside headsets, its home-device software choices become more consequential for how it connects screens, wearables, and iPhone-centric experiences.
Third-order effects
The report points toward mixed-reality products being designed as extensions of a broader device ecosystem, with compute distributed between a wearable and a phone rather than concentrated in a self-contained headset.
If this pattern holds, competition may increasingly turn on ecosystem integration and device roles—not just standalone headset specifications—while unresolved IP disputes remain a constraint on health-related product features.
The trend: Wearable computing is moving toward lighter, ecosystem-dependent devices that distribute compute across phones, headsets, and home software.
Apple showed a device that's very cool, but also bulky, impractical, very expensive and 5+ years from being ready for consumers. You can buy it, if you really want. 🤷🏻♂️ Meta showed a device that's very cool, but also bulky, impractical, very expensive and 5+ years from being…
@markgurman IMHO they took this path because it's the safe bet. Apple isn't trying to beat anyone to building a standalone AR headset, they just want to have one ready when they can make decent margins and developers have already built enough apps for VisionOS.
Apple is not on the bad track with Vision Pro. Both MR headsets and AR Glasses will coexist. Meta is not resigning from MR headsets either. By the time AR Glasses becomes a consumer product, we will have outstanding MR headsets that excel in capabilities.
I love my Vision Pro but would love it even more if it were lighter and more comfortable. On the other hand I use my Meta × Ray Ban glasses even more and kind of wish it was part of the Apple ecosystem.
Also in Power On: Apple is ramping up work on a low-end iPad-based smart display for next year with homeOS and Apple Intelligence. It'll be a precursor to future high-end tabletop robot. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Former Apple designer Christopher Stringer of Syng signs on as an advisor at Opal, the high-end webcam maker that OpenAI recently invested in. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
The resignation of Masimo's CEO (the company that got blood oxygen banned on Apple Watches in the US) opens the door to a deal, I believe. I explain why in Power On. https://www.bloomberg.com/...
Apple is exploring several different directions in headsets: a Vision Pro 2 and cheaper model; A headset that moves processing & battery to an iPhone; Non-AR smart glasses; AirPods with cameras plus AI and, of course, the holy grail standalone AR glasses. https://www.bloomberg.co…