Apple's most ambitious hardware, the future-focused Vision Pro, has not lived up to expectations—at least not in terms of customer interest and market adoption.

This year, we've seen reports of stagnant sales and reduced production, though Apple has yet to confirm any sales figures. The company primarily focuses on developer support, the expanding array of Vision Pro apps, spatial computing content, and third-party partnerships. Recently, Apple highlighted a $29,000 Blackmagic camera designed for shooting Vision Pro spatial movies. The hefty price tag makes sense when you consider that the Vision Pro itself still retails for $3,499 / £3,499 / AU$5,999.

From the beginning of my journey with the Vision Pro, I have been enamored with this headset. It offers an extraordinary mixed-reality experience that's equally useful for immersive movie watching and productivity, where you can have an expansive desktop of apps surrounding you. It is as intuitive as anything Apple has ever created, and spatial photography and videography evoke emotions previously unimaginable from consumer electronics.

However, the system faces a fundamental issue: it's hindered by human nature. We aren't designed to isolate ourselves from each other. Wearing these goggles at home often draws groans and curious glances from family members and partners. While I relished the vast workspace in the office, my coworkers thought I looked absurd. Apple's attempts to simulate my gaze for interaction with friends, coworkers, and loved ones were not well-received—no one seemed fond of my recreated stare.

Even those who are intrigued by the Vision Pro concept often find it financially inaccessible. At $3,500, it's not an "everyone" price—it's a "select few" one. I began to realize the Vision Pro was not becoming a fixture in homes in the US, and later globally, when I noticed that articles about it only garnered a handful of readers. When I write about the best iPhones (any model or rumor), the readership is vast. The Vision Pro, however, fails to generate even a fraction of that attention.

I still believe in the Vision Pro and the technology behind it. It is truly unique—unlike anything else on the market or anything I’ve personally experienced. But it won’t survive this way. Apple will have to make some difficult decisions in 2025. If the company wants the Vision Pro to thrive and not meet the same fate as the Newton or the original HomePod, here are my suggestions.

1. Lower the Price

This one is obvious, but it requires Apple to do something it rarely does with hardware: take a loss. The Vision Pro is expensive to produce—one estimate puts the cost at over $1,540, with high-end displays accounting for about a third of that price. If Apple isn’t planning to swap out components (more on that later), it should consider slashing the price by more than half and absorb the loss. Sure, each Vision Pro sold in 2025 might cost the company money, but think about the millions who could purchase it.

Apple’s growth is no longer driven solely by hardware like the iPhone. The company now boasts a huge and rapidly growing services sector, where customers pay a monthly fee for services like iCloud storage, Apple TV+, Music, Fitness+, News, and more. Apple customers tend to buy more services when they have more Apple devices—so you can see where this is headed. Many of Apple's services, like Apple TV+, work even better on a device like the Vision Pro. This would be a short-term loss leading to greater long-term gains.

2. Rethink Materials and Components

What if the next Vision Pro features a plastic cover instead of glass? Does it really need brushed aluminum? Could Apple eliminate the displays behind the EyeSight feature? And perhaps the resolution of the expensive display system could be lowered just slightly.

Apple should explore ways to cut manufacturing costs without compromising the Vision Pro experience. I know this is a challenge, but sometimes the device feels a bit over-engineered. To be fair, Apple designed it with the goal of launching a new category of computing: spatial computing. The problem is that few others have bought into the idea. Many consumers are still satisfied with traditional computing. To spark interest, Apple needs a more affordable Vision Pro, and reducing the number of premium materials and components could be one way to achieve that.

3. Introduce a Vision Pro Lite

Rumors suggest that a Vision Pro Lite could arrive in the next couple of years. If Apple is smart, it should tease a $1,500 Vision Pro Lite by March at the latest—because disinterested consumers won’t wait until late 2025 or 2026. Apple needs to deliver a reasonably priced, usable Lite version quickly to revitalize the Vision Pro brand and start attracting millions of new customers.

4. Launch Apple Vision AR Glasses

How could this benefit the Vision Pro? If these new, lightweight AR-only devices are seen as part of the Vision Pro family and priced between $799 and $1,200, they could generate a halo effect. Excitement and even FOMO (fear of missing out) around the glasses could reignite interest in the high-priced mixed-reality headset—especially if these glasses run on visionOS and integrate seamlessly with the Vision Pro.

5. Bundle Vision Pro with the iPhone 16 Pro Max 1TB Model

The iPhone 16 Pro Max with 1TB of storage costs $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,849. That’s a significant investment, signaling that you’re a loyal Apple customer. What if Apple offered a Vision Pro for an additional $599 when you buy the iPhone? It’s far from free, but it’s a substantial discount for Apple’s best-paying customers. Many buyers are opting for the largest iPhone, and some may consider paying extra for the storage if it also grants them access to a heavily discounted Vision Pro. I think Apple would be surprised at how many headsets would sell.

There’s no perfect solution for saving the Vision Pro, but I’m certain the answer lies mostly in price. I believe there are millions who would love to try the Vision Pro but are turned off by its steep price. If Apple makes the Vision Pro more accessible to the masses, it could transform the market and ensure the device's survival in 2025.