Is the Vision Pro Dead? Apple Reportedly Stops Work on Its Pricey Headset

Jibin Joseph — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:11:31 +0000

Employees are being transferred to other departments, MacRumors reports. We've heard this before, but with John Ternus taking over as CEO this fall, now is a good time to shake things up.

Apple has reportedly stopped work on its Vision Pro headset and shifted staff to other teams within the company, MacRumors reports.

The Vision Pro was unveiled in 2023 and launched in early 2024. The headset, powered by the M2 chip, had a …

RAM Crunch Claims Another Victim: Price Hike Coming to Meta Quest VR Headsets

Michael Kan — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:19:54 +0000

New prices take effect on April 19, with Meta Quest 3 and 3S costs increasing by up to $100.

The AI-driven memory shortage has come for Meta's VR headsets, forcing the company to raise prices globally.

"We're making this change because the cost of building high-performance VR hardware has risen significantly," Meta said in a blog post on …

The $70 Billion Delusion: Why Zuckerberg's Metaverse Was Dead on Arrival

Will Greenwald — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:56:12 +0000

Meta spent billions of dollars on a VR playground with the goal of becoming the new way people use the internet. But the platform never evolved beyond a ghost town, proving that money alone can't build a social platform.

When Meta unveiled Horizon Worlds in 2021, it billed the platform as the future of the internet—a sprawling virtual playground where work, play, and social life would merge in VR. I saw it differently: a high-tech tool for …

Mark Zuckerberg's Metaverse Stumbles as Horizon Worlds Cuts VR Support

Michael Kan — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:16:09 +0000

Horizon Worlds was supposed to help make virtual reality mainstream. But now Mark Zuckerberg's Meta is scaling down the app's VR support to focus on mobile users instead.

Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse ambitions are facing a reality check. His company is scaling back the VR support for Horizon Worlds, the app that was supposed to help take his “metaverse” concept mainstream, but has actually found more traction among phone users.

In an official forum post, Meta initially

The Best VR Headsets for 2026

Will Greenwald — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 15:20:06 +0000

Explore new realities with the best VR headsets we've tested, whether you prefer the freedom of standalone models or the power and fidelity of tethered options.

Which VR Headset Is the Best: Standalone vs. Tethered?

Modern VR headsets fit under one of two categories: standalone or tethered.

Standalone VR headsets offer incredible physical freedom by eliminating cables and the need for an external device to handle video processing. For example, the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S …

YouTube App for Apple Vision Pro Is Here, 2 Years After First Teaser

James Peckham — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:45:31 +0000

You can now stream all types of YouTube videos to the headset through an official app.

Soon after the release of the Apple Vision Pro headset, Google confirmed plans to introduce a native YouTube app. That’s finally here, after a two-year delay from the brand, meaning you no longer have to watch through a web browser.

The new app lets you …

Meta's VR Meeting Rooms for Work Will Shut Down Next Month

James Peckham — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:21:45 +0000

It comes as Meta aims to refocus its metaverse efforts on mobile platforms, such as smart glasses.

Meta’s Horizon Workrooms, the virtual reality platform for business meetings, is set to shut down next month.

First launched in 2021, before Facebook rebranded as Meta, Horizon Workrooms introduced a virtual space where colleagues could meet when wearing VR headsets. This launched near the height …

Meta Is Reportedly Laying Off Hundreds of Metaverse Employees This Week

Jibin Joseph — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:55:06 +0000

An earlier report indicated that Meta was cutting its metaverse budget by 30%.

UPDATE (1/14): Multiple social media users have now posted about layoffs at Meta's Reality Labs. The posts also indicate the shutdown of three studios working on VR titles: Armature Studio, Twisted Pixel, and Sanzaru.

In a statement, Meta didn't …

Apple Slashes Vision Pro Production, Amid Poor Holiday Sales

PCMag UK — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 14:11:58 +0000

Analyst firm IDC estimated Apple shipped just 45,000 new units of the headset in the final quarter of 2025, despite strong sales of iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks over the same period.

If the Apple Vision Pro’s $3,500 retail price tag or its potentially neck-straining weight put you off nabbing one this holiday season, well, you probably weren’t the only one in that boat.

Analyst house IDC estimated Apple shipped just 45,000 new units of the headset in the final quarter of 2025, …

Apple Vision Pro (M5)

Will Greenwald — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:15:43 +0000

When I reviewed the Apple Vision Pro last year, I described it as the most advanced wearable display available—but its front-heavy design and eye-watering price made it hard to recommend without reservation. With the latest Vision Pro, Apple tackles one of those shortcomings by …

Meta Reportedly Pushes Mixed Reality 'Phoenix' Smart Glasses to 2027

Will Mccurdy — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 18:50:40 +0000

The planned mixed reality glasses are expected to be lighter than the Apple Vision Pro but still heavier than Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, and they may feature an external ‘compute puck.’

Meta is reportedly set to delay its "Phoenix" mixed reality glasses until the first part of 2027.

According to an internal memo sent to employees and seen by Business Insider, the change will give the company “a lot more breathing room to get the …

Enter a New Reality of Savings: The Sony PlayStation VR2 Is 25% Off This Cyber Week

PCMag UK — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 18:20:32 +0000

This must-buy VR headset will take your gaming into a different dimension. Get the VR2 bundled with Horizon Call of the Mountain and save $100 during Cyber Week!

Yesterday, my bestie excitedly called me because the VR headset she'd ordered had just arrived. I immediately ran to her place to play a few games. And the PlayStation VR2 headset totally blew my mind. Its visuals are crystal clear, the eye-tracking is impressive, and the …

Early Black Friday Deal on a Meta Quest 3 and Batman: Arkham Shadow Bundle

Juhi Wadia — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 17:59:44 +0000

Save Gotham while saving money with this VR Headset and Batman: Arkham Shadow game combo. This deal also comes with a three-month trial of Meta Horizon and a $50 discount.

I’ve always wanted to be a superhero (I mean, who doesn't?), but the closest I have ever come to being one is when I dress up as Harley Quinn for Halloween. But after seeing a YouTube video of someone playing Batman: Arkham Shadow on the Meta Quest 3S …

Meta Quest 3 vs. Meta Quest 3S: Save Your Money or Upgrade Now?

Will Greenwald — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 20:30:06 +0000

The Meta Quest 3S costs $200 less than the Quest 3, but what does it compromise to get there? I've tested both extensively and am here to compare the two VR headsets to help you decide which is the better buy.

Price

This is the most obvious difference between the two. The Quest 3S starts at $299.99, the same price as the Quest 2 at launch, and comes with 128GB of storage, or you can upgrade to 256GB for $399.99.

The Quest 3 is $499.99 and is only available with 512GB of …

With the Steam Frame, Valve Might Finally Catch Up in VR, But I Still Have Questions

Will Greenwald — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 18:26:16 +0000

Six years after the Valve Index, the company's Steam Frame ditches the cables and base stations in favor of freedom and flexibility. But can it compete in a world where VR alone isn't enough?

When the Valve Index launched six years ago, it was the gold standard for high-end VR headsets. The landscape has shifted dramatically since then—headsets have gone wireless, processors have grown more capable, and expectations have changed. Valve seems to recognize that with its newly …

Steam Frame Won't Support Legacy Lighthouse Trackers

Jon Martindale — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 16:57:44 +0000

With the Frame, Valve is moving beyond its Vive legacy.

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If, like me, you were hoping to repurpose your first- or second-generation Valve Lighthouse trackers for a future virtual reality headset, the Steam Frame may come …

Valve Revives Steam Machine With Mini PC Boasting 6x Power of Steam Deck

Michael Kan — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 20:16:06 +0000

The company also teased the Steam Frame, a follow-up to the Valve Index VR headset, along with an updated Steam Controller.

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Valve is reviving the Steam Machine in a new mini PC that looks poised to rival game consoles.

The company today …

I Tried Samsung’s Galaxy XR, and It’s the First Mixed Reality Headset That Feels Ready for Everyone

Will Greenwald — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:13:53 +0000

Samsung's $1,799 Galaxy XR goes head-to-head with Apple's $3,500 Vision Pro—and looks to be more accessible in several key ways.

Samsung has debuted its new mixed reality headset, and it's a big step forward for immersive technology. The Samsung Galaxy XR is the first device to use Google's Android XR platform, with cutting-edge technology and intuitive eye- and hand-tracking-based …

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Apple Vision Pro: A Head-to-Head, Reality-Bending Battle

Will Greenwald — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:48:34 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy XR is the first mixed reality headset I've tried that even comes close to the Apple Vision Pro, and it costs around half the price. Here's how they stack up against each other.

Price

Samsung is known for its Apple-like premium designs and pricing, but in this case, it’s undercutting Cupertino significantly. At $1,799, the Galaxy XR is still pricey compared with almost any other VR or XR headset, but it’s just over half the price of the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro. The line …

I Used the Samsung Galaxy XR, and It Could Be an Apple Vision Pro Killer

Will Greenwald — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 02:00:00 +0000

With an open software platform and better wearability than the Vision Pro for nearly half the price, the Galaxy XR marks a significant step forward for Android XR and makes cutting-edge mixed reality far more accessible.

Nearly a year after Google unveiled its Android XR mixed reality platform—with Samsung as its first hardware partner—Project Moohan has officially emerged as the Samsung Galaxy XR. This ambitious headset is …

Apple M5 Vision Pro vs. M2 Vision Pro: Same Vision, More Power

Will Greenwald — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The 2025 Vision Pro gets Apple's new M5 chip and a redesigned headband, but almost everything else stays the same. Is it worth upgrading? Let's break it down.

Processor: A Faster Chip

This is by far the biggest upgrade, a jump of three processor generations from the original Vision Pro's M2 (used in the 2022 MacBook Air and iPad Pro) to the

Apple Updates Vision Pro Headset With M5 Chip, New Dual Knit Headband

Jibin Joseph — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 16:55:17 +0000

Apple's new chip brings improvements in the Vision Pro's performance, display, and battery life. The price tag remains unchanged, but it will still set you back $3,500.

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Apple skipped a major overhaul of its Vision Pro this year, but the headset is getting a power bump with the new M5 chip, announced today …

The Best Starter VR Headset I've Reviewed Is at Its Lowest Price Ever for Prime Day

Will Greenwald — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 21:54:39 +0000

Want to try out VR? The Meta Quest 3S is the most affordable headset for that, and now it's $50 off. This is a limited-time deal, so grab it while you can.

I've been covering VR headsets ever since Oculus released its first Rift development kit 12 years ago, and I've been watching the field develop ever since. It's now easier than ever to try out VR thanks to self-contained standalone headsets that …

Meta's Horizon TV Is a One-Stop Streaming Hub for Quest Headsets

Jibin Joseph — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:50:16 +0000

The platform will support several streaming platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN.

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VR headsets are only as good as the content they support, so Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg this week announced Horizon TV, a new streaming hub for

Leak Tips Name of Samsung's XR Headset. You Can Probably Guess What It Is

James Peckham — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:36:28 +0000

Samsung has been teasing Project Moohan, its Android XR headset, for months. But that was never going to be the final name. A note inside a Galaxy S25 FE app, however, offers a clue.

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Samsung has spent 2025 teasing its first Android XR headset, codenamed Project Moohan. Now, a new leak from within …

The Best Apple Vision Pro Apps for 2025

Will Greenwald — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 13:58:14 +0000

Apple's Vision Pro headset offers access to plenty of software. We pick the top 31 apps on visionOS, from movies and games to videoconferencing and...ordering cookies.

How We Test VR Headsets

Will Greenwald — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:34:40 +0000

Curious about virtual reality? From PC-tethered systems to standalone headsets, this is how we test VR tech.

Virtual reality (VR) has really evolved over the last decade, and several different hardware platforms offer extensive software libraries. At PCMag, we put each VR headset we review through its paces to determine how it stacks up against the competition. Here's our process.

The Hardware We Use to Test VR

For exclusively …

Meta's Smart Glasses With Built-In Display May Launch Next Month

Jibin Joseph — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:45:02 +0000

To boost demand, Meta has also cut back its margins and priced the device closer to an iPhone, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

Meta's display-equipped smart glasses may launch next month and cost less than previous estimates, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

The wearable, codenamed Hypernova, has been rumored for some time. It is expected to be a high-end version of Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, with a …

Apple May Launch a Vision Pro Running on the M4 Chip Later This Year

Jibin Joseph — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:17:20 +0000

Apple's also expected to make improvements to the strap to reduce head pain and neck strain.

Apple is preparing to release an update to its Vision Pro headset later this year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports.

The original Vision Pro was announced at WWDC 2023 and released in the US early last year. It’s powered …

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition Proves VR Can't Compete Against AR and Smart Glasses

Will Greenwald — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 19:39:30 +0000

The VR experience is too unwieldy to become a daily habit; we need a big virtual screen, or several. With an Xbox-branded headset, Meta leans into what can get more people to use its tech regularly.

I've been covering virtual reality for 12 years, ever since the category was rekindled by the Oculus Rift. I've used dozens of VR headsets and tried out all kinds of VR games, applications, and mixed-reality experiences. I've …

Xbox-Branded Meta Quest 3S on Sale Now, But Supply Is 'Extremely Limited'

Will Mccurdy — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:16:07 +0000

The main difference is the black-and-green Xbox look. The $400 bundle includes three months of Meta Horizon+ and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

UPDATE: Meta has officially teamed up with Xbox on the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition, the first limited-edition Quest headset. It's available now for $399.99 as a bundle that includes:

128GB Meta Quest 3S in Xbox Carbon Black and Velocity Green
Matching Touch Plus controllers and a …

Xbox-Branded Meta Quest 3S Reportedly Launching on June 24

Will Mccurdy — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 16:29:21 +0000

The still-unconfirmed headset will give you an Xbox-branded VR experience, but don’t expect any performance upgrades.

Xbox may be teaming up with Meta to release an Xbox-branded Meta Quest 3S this week.

Citing anonymous sources, Gaming website GameSandwich reports that the Xbox Quest 3S will drop on June 24 and cost $399, just over $100 more than the existing

Deadpool VR's Quips and Gore Really Made Me Feel Like the Merc With the Mouth

Zackery Cuevas — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Deadpool VR is the most violent and hilarious demo I've played at Summer Game Fest. Here's what I thought of the upcoming VR game's comic book-inspired slaughter.

In recent years, Deadpool has risen from a B-tier superhero to one of the most popular characters in Marvel's roster. There’s a certain je ne se quais about the character's foul-mouthed antics that have tickled audiences to their rotten cores. So when Deadpool VR debuted at …

Snap Preps AR 'Specs' for 2026: Will They Thrive or Flop?

Michael Kan — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 19:14:05 +0000

Snap will face some stiff competition from the likes of Meta and Google.

Will augmented reality glasses ever catch on? The developer of Snapchat is ready to try.

On Tuesday, Snap announced it will launch "lightweight" and "immersive" AR glasses next year.

The existing model, the Spectacles 24', has

Android XR Could Be the Future of Smart Glasses, But I'm Not Holding My Breath

Will Greenwald — Wed, 21 May 2025 15:37:14 +0000

It's steadily getting new features and buy-in from third-party manufacturers, but Google's Android XR framework probably won't result in an actual product for a while.

When Google announced Android XR six months ago, I was excited. An Android-powered platform for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (XR) offering similar functionality to the Apple Vision Pro but open to third-party developers …

Samsung Shows Off OLED Tech for Virtual Reality at 5,000 Pixels Per Inch

Michael Kan — Tue, 13 May 2025 21:37:46 +0000

Apple's Vision Pro currently displays 3,386ppi, so Samsung's RGB OLED on Silicon (OLEDoS) tech promises to push the boundaries of VR headsets with even more lifelike visuals.

A new OLED panel from Samsung Display can dramatically increase the visual quality on a VR headset to 5,000 pixels per inch—more than four times what's possible on the Meta Quest 3.

At the SID Display Week show in …

Meta Reportedly Prepping $1,000 High-End Ray-Ban Smart Glasses

Jibin Joseph — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:14:15 +0000

The device will have a built-in camera and support hand gestures, Bloomberg reports.

Meta plans to release a higher-end version of its smart glasses this year that could cost between $1,000 and $1,400. Code-named Hypernova, the specs will come with hand-gesture controls and a built-in display, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. …

Is Apple Intelligence the Vision Pro's Missing Link? Hands On With visionOS 2.4

Tyler Hayes — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 18:40:33 +0000

Today's rollout of visionOS 2.4 brings Apple's AI to the Vision Pro. Guest user upgrades and the Spatial Gallery are notable additions, but prospective buyers should save their $3,499 for now.

Despite strapping an Apple Vision Pro to my head regularly for the last 12 months, the thought never crossed my mind that its missing piece is Apple Intelligence. I’ve dreamt of physical refinements, like a weight reduction, and I’ve pondered software enhancements for MWC and were thoroughly impressed.

PCMag UK vr-1

Is the Vision Pro Dead? Apple Reportedly Stops Work on Its Pricey Headset

RAM Crunch Claims Another Victim: Price Hike Coming to Meta Quest VR Headsets

The $70 Billion Delusion: Why Zuckerberg's Metaverse Was Dead on Arrival

The Metaverse Myth: Why Meta's VR Empire Was Doomed From Day One

Mark Zuckerberg's Metaverse Stumbles as Horizon Worlds Cuts VR Support

The Best VR Headsets for 2026

Which VR Headset Is the Best: Standalone vs. Tethered?

YouTube App for Apple Vision Pro Is Here, 2 Years After First Teaser

Meta's VR Meeting Rooms for Work Will Shut Down Next Month

Meta Is Reportedly Laying Off Hundreds of Metaverse Employees This Week

Apple Slashes Vision Pro Production, Amid Poor Holiday Sales

Apple Vision Pro (M5)

Meta Reportedly Pushes Mixed Reality 'Phoenix' Smart Glasses to 2027

Enter a New Reality of Savings: The Sony PlayStation VR2 Is 25% Off This Cyber Week

Early Black Friday Deal on a Meta Quest 3 and Batman: Arkham Shadow Bundle

Meta Quest 3 vs. Meta Quest 3S: Save Your Money or Upgrade Now?

Price

With the Steam Frame, Valve Might Finally Catch Up in VR, But I Still Have Questions

Steam Frame Won't Support Legacy Lighthouse Trackers

Valve Revives Steam Machine With Mini PC Boasting 6x Power of Steam Deck

I Tried Samsung’s Galaxy XR, and It’s the First Mixed Reality Headset That Feels Ready for Everyone

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Apple Vision Pro: A Head-to-Head, Reality-Bending Battle

Price

I Used the Samsung Galaxy XR, and It Could Be an Apple Vision Pro Killer

Apple M5 Vision Pro vs. M2 Vision Pro: Same Vision, More Power

Processor: A Faster Chip

Apple Updates Vision Pro Headset With M5 Chip, New Dual Knit Headband

The Best Starter VR Headset I've Reviewed Is at Its Lowest Price Ever for Prime Day

Meta's Horizon TV Is a One-Stop Streaming Hub for Quest Headsets

Leak Tips Name of Samsung's XR Headset. You Can Probably Guess What It Is

The Best Apple Vision Pro Apps for 2025

How We Test VR Headsets

The Hardware We Use to Test VR

Meta's Smart Glasses With Built-In Display May Launch Next Month

Apple May Launch a Vision Pro Running on the M4 Chip Later This Year

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition Proves VR Can't Compete Against AR and Smart Glasses

Xbox-Branded Meta Quest 3S on Sale Now, But Supply Is 'Extremely Limited'

Xbox-Branded Meta Quest 3S Reportedly Launching on June 24

Deadpool VR's Quips and Gore Really Made Me Feel Like the Merc With the Mouth

Snap Preps AR 'Specs' for 2026: Will They Thrive or Flop?

Android XR Could Be the Future of Smart Glasses, But I'm Not Holding My Breath

Samsung Shows Off OLED Tech for Virtual Reality at 5,000 Pixels Per Inch

Meta Reportedly Prepping $1,000 High-End Ray-Ban Smart Glasses

Is Apple Intelligence the Vision Pro's Missing Link? Hands On With visionOS 2.4

What Is Viverse?