In 2023, Apple first unveiled its mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro. The Vision Pro headset features an ultra-high-resolution display system that powers a fully three-dimensional user interface, controllable by the user's eyes, hands, and voice.
The headset went on sale in the US in January 2024 with a hefty $3,500 price tag. Recently, Apple expanded the availability of the Vision Pro to mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore.
Today, Bloomberg reported that overall sales of the Apple Vision Pro will not even surpass 500,000 units in the whole of 2024. According to market tracker IDC, the Vision Pro has yet to sell 100,000 units in a quarter since its US launch in February. Domestic sales of the Vision Pro have also seen a 75% drop in the current quarter.
The recent expansion to new countries is expected to offset dwindling sales in the US market, but it is not likely to revitalize overall sales.
IDC believes that Apple is preparing a more affordable mixed-reality headset, which is expected to be released in 2025. This upcoming cheaper model is expected to double Apple's sales of mixed-reality headsets.
Francisco Jeronimo, VP at IDC, said the following regarding the Vision Pro's poor sales:
The Vision Pro's success, regardless of its price, will ultimately depend on the available content. As Apple expands the product to international markets, it's crucial that local content is also made available.
The Apple Vision Pro will also face formidable competition this year. Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President of Platform and Devices at Google, recently revealed that Google and Qualcomm will unveil an XR platform with Samsung later this year. With a vision to create a new generation of spatial computing, Samsung, Google, and Qualcomm are currently developing advanced hardware and software to make this immersive technology a reality.
Source: Bloomberg
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