Apple Considers Lowering Apple Vision Pro Prices With Cheaper Screen Technology

Apple Vision Pro illustration (photo: x @appleinsider)

JAKARTA - The latest rumors reveal that Apple may lower production costs for future Apple Vision Pro headsets by switching to cheaper OLED screen technology. According to a report from The Elec, Apple will reportedly use a glass-based OLED panel manufactured by Japan Display Inc (JDI), a company that previously made a $100 million investment from Apple.

This new OLED display panel is specifically designed for mixed reality headsets like the Apple Vision Pro. The main difference between this new panel and the panels used on the Apple Vision Pro currently lie in its substrate. While Apple Vision Pro currently uses silicon substrates, which allow for smaller pixels and higher resolutions, new panels from JDI use glass substrates.

Although glass substrates generally allow for cheaper screen creation, this new panel resolution is reported to have a pixel density of around 1,500 pixels per inch (ppi). In comparison, the current Apple Vision Pro screen has a pixel density of 3,391 ppi.

JDI has reportedly adopted the technology used by Sony, which is currently an OLED screen supplier for Apple Vision Pro. However, in 2023, Sony reportedly refused to increase production capacity for Apple Vision Pro products, forcing Apple to look for other suppliers. In addition to working with JDI, Apple also asked Samsung Display to develop an OLED panel with a resolution of 1,700 ppi.

There are separate rumors that Apple Vision Pro 2 may be sold at a price of half the price of the original model. Using cheaper screen technology and lower resolution, production costs for this headset can be reduced much lower than the two screens currently used on the Apple Vision Pro.

If these rumors are proven true, this move could have a significant impact on future Apple Vision Pro's selling price, allowing the device to be more affordable for consumers.