Apple is making a big play to cut down the costs of its future Vision Pro headsets by switching to a more affordable OLED display technology. The company is reportedly turning to Japan Display Inc (JDI), which Apple has previously backed with a hefty $100 million investment. According to The Elec, JDI has just delivered a new glass-based OLED panel that could be destined for the next-generation Vision Pro-style mixed reality headset.
While the current Vision Pro uses a silicon substrate for its displays—allowing for those super-crisp, high-resolution pixels—JDI’s new panel is built on glass. The glass-based tech means the pixels won’t be quite as tiny, which will lower the overall resolution and, importantly, the production costs.
Sources whispering to The Elec suggest this new panel will have a pixel density of about 1,500 pixels per inch (ppi). For comparison, the current Vision Pro boasts an eye-popping 3,391ppi. This shift in technology could significantly reduce manufacturing expenses, making the next Vision Pro model potentially much cheaper to produce.
Adding a twist to the tale, JDI has reportedly borrowed some tech from Sony, which is currently Apple’s go-to for the Vision Pro’s OLED displays. There was a hiccup last year when Sony wouldn’t ramp up production for Apple, prompting the tech giant to seek alternative suppliers. Besides JDI, Apple is also said to be in talks with Samsung Display to develop a panel with a resolution of 1,700ppi.
And if you’ve heard rumors about a future Vision Pro 2 possibly being priced at half of the original model, this could be why. With a more budget-friendly glass substrate and lower resolution, the next-gen headset would be much cheaper to manufacture. So, if you’ve been eyeing the Vision Pro but balking at the price, stay tuned—an affordable version might be on the horizon!
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