The launch of the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset earlier this year has reportedly not been a sales success for the company, even if Apple itself will not admit to that fact. The low sales of the $3,499 product have reportedly caused Apple to focus on making a cheaper headset for the future, but it may not be out until at least late 2025.
In the meantime, Apple still wants to push the current Vision Pro headset to more customers. Bloomberg"s Mark Gurman, in his weekly Power On newsletter, says Apple is making some changes in its retail stores specifically to help boost Vision Pro sales.
One reported change is that Apple is now allowing store visitors to view their own photos and videos in the demo units of the Vision Pro. The thought is that checking out their content on the headset could help sway some reluctant buyers. Gurman says this change is rolling out now and will officially launch in Apple Stores on July 9.
Another change is that Vision Pro users in Apple Stores will use the Dual Loop headband as the default. The previous default, the Solo Loop, was apparently not comfortable enough to use. However, we do wonder why it took several months after the launch of the headset for Apple to discover this rather basic flaw.
Finally, the report claims Apple Store customers will have the option to try out the Vision Pro for longer periods in specific areas, like when doing work or watching movies.
In the same newsletter, Gurman also reports, via unnamed sources, that Apple is working to bring its recently announced AI service, Apple Intelligence, to the Vision Pro. However, don"t expect the headset to get that update in 2024. Indeed, Gurman does not reveal a timeline for the Vision Pro to get Apple Intelligence.