Gene Munster Says Vision Pro Looks Like iPhone-Maker's Biggest Miss Since Newton: 'Apple's Push Will Deliver Glasses That Likely Outshine Meta's'

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has reportedly paused work on a cheaper Vision Pro headset to focus on smart glasses development.

Apple Halts Vision Pro Overhaul

On Wednesday, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported Apple brought the development of its lighter, cheaper Vision Pro model to a stop. 

This model was slated for release in 2027. 

As per the report, the resources are instead being redirected to accelerate smart glasses development.

The move comes after Vision Pro's slow uptake. With a $3,500 price tag and limited content, U.S. sales have reportedly yet to hit one million units since launch.

Gene Munster Calls Vision Pro A Rare Apple Flop

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Deepwater Asset Management's managing partner Gene Munster, said Vision Pro marks the company's "biggest miss since the Newton."

The iPhone-maker introduced the Newton MessagePad in 1993, during Steve Jobs' absence from the company following his boardroom clash with then-CEO John Sculley.

Jobs terminated the Newton project after rejoining Apple in 1997.

"We saw this coming: overpriced, cumbersome, and lacking real utility," Munster said, adding that this development will also lay the foundation for Apple to outshine Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META).

"Hardware, software, services, and AI are brutally hard. Advantage: Apple," he added, suggesting the shift could eventually give Apple an edge over Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses lineup.

See Also: Apple May See Fewer Searches In Safari, But Google CEO Sundar Pichai Insists AI Is Fueling Overall Query Growth: ‘Far From A Zero-Sum Game'

Race Against Meta And Market Shifts

Earlier this month, at its Connect 2025 event, Meta unveiled two new smart glasses: the $499 Oakley Meta Vanguard, designed for athletes and the $799 Ray-Ban Display featuring built-in AR capabilities.

Munster previously praised the $799 device as the "best bang for the buck."

In June 2025, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said, "Apple could build the best Meta Ray-Ban–like smart glasses on the market," but warned its progress has been "surprisingly slow."

Kuo said this after it was reported that Apple is developing at least seven head-mounted and smart glasses projects, with some expected to launch starting in 2027, including the Vision Pro M5, Vision Air, a redesigned Vision Pro 2, XR Glasses and a display accessory.

Price Action: Apple shares slipped 0.067% to $255.28 in after-hours trading on Wednesday, following a 0.32% gain during regular hours, according to Benzinga Pro. The stock remains up 4.76% year-to-date.

Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings place AAPL's stock quality in the 73rd percentile, highlighting its performance relative to Meta and other competitors.

Photo Courtesy: Ringo Chiu on Shutterstock.com

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