Apple is updating Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip and a redesigned Dual Knit Band, aiming to address two longstanding asks at once: more performance headroom for spatial apps and better all-day comfort. On paper, the M5 upgrade brings a faster CPU and a new 10-core GPU with hardware ray tracing and per-core Neural Accelerators, plus a 16-core Neural Engine Apple says speeds system AI tasks by up to 50 percent and third-party AI features by up to 2x over the first-gen model. Display rendering also gets a lift: Vision Pro now drives roughly 10 percent more pixels on its micro-OLED panels and can push refresh rates up to 120Hz for reduced motion blur in passthrough and a smoother Mac Virtual Display.
Battery life remains the platform’s limitation, but Apple nudges it forward. The external pack is rated for up to two and a half hours of typical use and up to three hours of video; tethered power is still the answer for longer sessions. The M5 continues to work alongside the R1 coprocessor, which handles sensor fusion from 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones, keeping motion-to-photon latency in the 12 ms range.
Comfort gets tangible attention. The new Dual Knit Band uses a two-strap, 3D-knit design with breathable ribs and a counterweight in the lower strap to better balance front-heavy load. A dual-function Fit Dial allows finer adjustments, and Apple will sell the band separately in multiple sizes for first-gen owners.
visionOS 26 rounds out the update with quality-of-life features rather than a radical UI shift. Widgets can persist in your space across sessions; Personas get visual refinements; and spatial scenes add depth to photos with generative processing. There’s broader language support for Apple Intelligence, plus Live Translation spanning Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app. For creators and pros, the release leans into practical additions: 180- and 360-degree video playback, an iPad companion app to queue downloads and discover content, and better Mac Virtual Display fluidity at higher refresh rates.
The content story is incremental but growing. Apple points to over a million compatible apps (with a few thousand visionOS-native), hundreds of 3D titles in the Apple TV app, and new Apple Immersive series and films incoming, along with live NBA games. Notably, gaming gets broader input support: Vision Pro now works with PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers, opening the door to higher-fidelity motion tracking and haptics in supported titles, alongside existing DualSense and Bluetooth gamepads. Expect a mix of spatial-native games, iPad ports, and remote-play options via apps like Steam Link.
For enterprise and pro workflows, Apple highlights steady adoption: simulation training (CAE), showroom visualization (Porsche), and medical imaging (Visage). On-device AI via Apple’s Foundation Models framework is a recurring theme; apps like JigSpace are tapping local inference for natural-language explanations layered onto interactive 3D objects. That’s where the M5’s higher memory bandwidth and GPU-side Neural Accelerators should matter more than raw frame rates.
Pricing holds firmly in the premium zone. Apple Vision Pro with M5 and the Dual Knit Band starts at AED 13,999 with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB options. Pre-orders open today across major markets including the UAE, U.S., UK, Germany, France, Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, and Australia, with retail availability slated for Wednesday, October 22; South Korea and Taiwan follow later. The box now includes the new band, a Light Seal with two cushions, the battery, and cables. Accessories remain costly: the Dual Knit Band at AED 399, Travel Case at AED 799, ZEISS inserts from AED 379, and Logitech’s Muse stylus for spatial input at AED 499 later this month.
