Apple didn’t announce any new {hardware} at its WWDC 2025 keynote earlier this week, however eagle-eyed beta testers have been busily combing via the code for any references to approaching product launches. They usually haven’t searched in useless.
In response to 9to5Mac, Xcode 26—the most recent model of Apple’s developer software for creating third-party apps—features a mysterious new “Imaginative and prescient Professional 4K” simulator. That in itself doesn’t discuss with the specs of an upcoming mannequin, for the easy motive that the present Imaginative and prescient Professional has greater-than 4K output. (As Apple says on its product web page, the gadget presents “extra pixels than a 4K TV for every eye.”) But it surely might trace at one thing else for those who’re desirous to learn between the traces.
The important thing factor is that Xcode now presents two simulation modes for the Imaginative and prescient Professional: Imaginative and prescient Professional 4K and Imaginative and prescient Professional. Sure, the important thing change is that the simulator can now, for the primary time, output in 4K. However the outdated model continues to be there. Why? The logical rationalization is that Apple is just giving devs high-res and lower-res choices in case they don’t have entry to the right {hardware} so that they’ll nonetheless be capable of check their apps even when it’s not an ideal rendition of the present Imaginative and prescient Professional expertise. Or maybe the outdated mode in there as a result of Apple hasn’t bothered to do away with it but, what with all the brand new stuff being “beta” proper now.
The third, extra fantastical chance is that Apple has saved the non-4K mode round as a result of it is going to be used sooner or later for a brand new Imaginative and prescient Professional mannequin with a decrease decision. That is already a widespread rumor, maybe as a result of it feels so obligatory: the Imaginative and prescient Professional is a deeply spectacular product however far too costly to be commercially profitable. Apple might simply compromise in just a few areas, get the worth down, and nonetheless ship a high-quality expertise.
The principle drawback with this concept is that it’s untimely. Rumors at the moment maintain that the cheaper Imaginative and prescient Professional (simply plain Imaginative and prescient?) received’t be with us till past 2027, and that the subsequent mannequin we get can have barely higher specs than the present one–it actually received’t have a decrease decision. If the outdated low-res mode is meant for the funds mannequin, it’ll in all probability be hanging round till visionOS 27 and even 28—a relatively very long time to spin within the rumor mill.
