In the current tech landscape, Cupertino is undergoing a significant priority reshuffle. According to recent leaks, the long-awaited successor to the Apple Vision Pro will not arrive for at least two years, while upcoming Apple Watch models will abandon Touch ID entirely to concentrate on larger batteries and advanced health sensors. This dual move redefines the company's roadmap for wearables and mixed reality.
Vision Pro: A strategic delay of at least two years
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has denied rumors that Apple has completely abandoned the Vision Pro line. However, in his Power On newsletter, the analyst clarified that no successor model is currently in active development. The so-called 'Vision Air' was reportedly canceled last year. Gurman emphasizes that much of the Vision Products Group's hardware talent has been reassigned to other key projects: lightweight smart glasses, Siri chatbot development, and AI wearables such as camera-equipped AirPods and an AI pendant. If a new Vision Pro does materialize, we will not see it for at least two years. Meanwhile, Apple refreshed the Vision Pro in October 2025 with an M5 chip, but its retail launch was troubled, as documented in a book by New York Times labor reporter Noam Scheiber, who attributes part of the difficulty to the decade-long erosion of Apple's retail workforce.
Farewell to Touch ID for Apple Watch: Room for battery and health
In parallel, prominent Chinese leaker Instant Digital has debunked speculation about Touch ID coming to Apple Watch. In a Weibo post, the leaker explained that Apple is unwilling to sacrifice internal space for the sensor, preferring to allocate that volume to larger batteries. Adding Touch ID would have increased costs and reduced autonomy, a compromise Apple is not willing to make. Despite earlier rumors (based on code uncovered by Macworld) suggesting a possible under-display Touch ID or integration into the side button for Series 12 or Ultra 4, current plans indicate that 2026 models will feature no major design changes. A significant redesign will not arrive until at least 2028, when non-invasive blood glucose monitoring technology could be introduced, though it is still in early development.
Implications for the future of Apple wearables
These two stories show an Apple that concentrates resources on what it considers most promising in the short term. Smart glasses and wearable AI take precedence over the expensive VR headset, while for the watch, the priority remains battery life and health. Interestingly, this strategy aligns with industry trends: connected health and telemedicine are increasingly central, as demonstrated by Whoop's initiative to bring clinical consultations directly to the wrist. At the same time, the Vision Pro delay underscores the difficulty of creating a mass market for a $3,499 headset. Apple seems to have learned the lesson and prefers to wait for the right moment for the headset while refining other technologies.
Technical choices and the Touch ID trade-off
Omitting Touch ID is a purely engineering decision. The internal volume of the Apple Watch is extremely valuable. Adding a biometric sensor would have meant reducing the battery, negatively impacting one of the most requested features. Apple has instead opted for larger batteries and more advanced health sensors, such as the aforementioned glucose monitoring. This trade-off is similar to the company's decision to eliminate Touch ID from new iPad Pro in favor of Face ID. The lesson is clear: ease of use and battery life matter more than adding another unlock method, especially since unlocking the watch via iPhone is already a seamless solution.
A new hierarchy among Apple projects
The reassignment of personnel from Vision Pro to smart glasses and AI wearables is a strong signal. It indicates that Apple sees a more immediate future in smart glasses and AI devices rather than VR headsets. This move echoes what is happening in other tech sectors, where voice AI is reshaping offices and autonomous mobility is built on data platforms. Apple wants to be ready when the smart glasses market takes off, and in the meantime it is also preparing accessories like camera-equipped AirPods. For Apple Watch users, the 2026 models can be expected to bring improved battery life and new sensors but no aesthetic revolutions. The future of Apple wearables is more tied to health and artificial intelligence than to biometrics or virtual reality.
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