Is Apple’s Vision for VR Fuzzy? Why Apple Vision Pro Sales Flopped

Apple Vision Pro sales have stagnated. The factory assembling the headsets has slowed production. Rumors that the headset is about to be discontinued are swirling around. When it comes to a tech giant like Apple, everyone has an opinion. What’s the truth? 

Apple Vision Pro Sales Didn’t Meet Expectations

Apple Vision Pro sales aren’t doing well. According to various reports, the company is quietly scaling back supply and assembly. As of October 2024, Luxshare — its assembly partner for the headset — halved its production rate, going from 2,000 units per day to 1,000. In total, it has assembled 500,000 to 600,000 headsets. 

Insiders from Luxshare have revealed the factory suspended the production of Vision Pro components in May 2024 after Apple disclosed less-than-stellar consumer market reports. Now, tens of thousands of undelivered parts sit in a warehouse, collecting dust. 

Apple forecasted 400,000 to 500,000 Apple Vision Pro sales within the first year, suggesting decelerated production was inevitable. However, market analysts have quickly claimed this cutting-edge tech was dead on arrival — and they’re not exactly wrong. 

This headset has yet to reach 100,000 units sold per quarter since its February 2024 domestic launch and its June 2024 international launch. The consumer market tracker International Data Corporation projects domestic sales will drop by 75% in the fourth quarter of 2024, adding to the evidence that sales flopped. 

Plus, according to some sources, Apple’s internal sales targets were initially set at 1 million units sold within the first 12 months. Considering it likely won’t break even half that by February 2025, the Vision Pro may be an even bigger flop than many realize. 

Why Vision Pro Sales Were Lower Than Expected

In retrospect, the reason for Apple’s alleged failure is apparent. When it announced the Vision Pro in 2023, all the signs were there — the unbelievably high $3,500 price point alone caused an immediate uproar, even among those most dedicated to the Apple ecosystem. While iPhones, Macs and iPads are notoriously expensive, this price tag almost felt insulting. 

Price tags abroad were even higher. In the United Kingdom, customers had to spend nearly $1,000 more — they paid $4,455 (£3,499) — for the same model. France, Germany, China, Japan, Singapore, Australia and Canada all spent their country’s equivalent of well over the Apple Vision Pro’s domestic price of $3,500, which didn’t help sales. 

Technically, this headset is reasonably priced for the hardware it’s packing. It has 4k micro OLED displays that contain 23 million pixels, over 12 cameras, a 100 Hz refresh rate and an advanced M2 chip. It is one of the only models that offers gesture controls and eye-tracking over hand-held controllers. Compared to the $1,099 HTV VIVE XR Elite, which has an HD display, four cameras and a 90 Hz refresh rate, the upgrades are noticeable. 

However, there’s not much point in having cutting-edge hardware when there’s nothing to do with it. A lack of third-party apps and functionality was another reason Apple Vision Pro sales flopped. Many said it felt like an early developer kit. Frustratingly — but unsurprisingly — they had to be part of the Apple ecosystem to unlock their device’s full potential. 

As if a high price, lackluster functionality and minimal use cases weren’t bad enough, many people reported discomfort. They complained of sore necks, stiff upper backs, VR sickness and headaches. One woman even said the ill-fitted headset gave her two black eyes after wearing it for just one hour. Apparently, it placed too much weight on her cheeks.

Apple Vision Pro Sales Align With People’s Reactions

The people have spoken — and most think the Apple Vision Pro is fantastic but out of reach. 

One reviewer says her experience was surprisingly enjoyable but admitted the experience “won’t feel nearly as magical” for those who aren’t invested in Apple’s ecosystem. Conversely, those who have embraced it are “well-positioned to get the most from it as it evolves.” She closes saying she wouldn’t recommend it either way unless buyers have expendable cash.

Another reviewer tried using the Apple Vision Pro at work for three weeks — a feat, considering many others are struggling to find use cases for it. He used it to multitask and boost his deep work periods. While he found it enjoyable, claiming it nearly brought him to tears the first time he wore it, he admitted it wasn’t ideal. 

For this reviewer, the biggest issue was practicality. He said it “definitely leaves a mark on your face” so using it in public isn’t going to be a “go-to move.” Expanding on that point, he said it’s hard to use throughout the day or for any extended amount of time because its battery is low and it leaves noticeable marks on your face.

Apple’s CEO Comments on the Brand’s Vision for VR

Apple has been quiet in the face of the growing media storm surrounding stagnating Apple Vision Pro sales. However, Tim Cook — the company’s chief executive officer (CEO) — recently broke the silence when he sat down for an interview with the Wall Street Journal’s Ben Cohen. 

The CEO had a lot to say about his vision for VR. He said everything gets better over time, insisting the Vision Pro is “arguably a success today” from an “ecosystem-being-built-out point of view.” While his earlier statement about rejecting “really, really good ideas” to “make room for the great ones” seems to contradict that statement, he has a point. 

Cook admitted the company knows a limited number of people will buy the Vision Pro at its current price point, explaining that it’s not a mass-market product but “an early-adopter product” for those who “want to have tomorrow’s technology today.”

Cook’s thinking is that if the company loves a project, it has faith that others will, too. But will that be enough? While 2023 polls showed that over 50% of people wanted to buy the Vision Pro, the sales figures didn’t reflect that. Could this deter Apple from making a similar product?

Is the Apple Vision Pro Being Discontinued? 

Rumors are floating about that the Apple Vision Pro will be discontinued. The firsthand accounts from insiders that production is drastically slowing suggest that may soon be the case. However, those are just reports and gossip for now — the company hasn’t said anything about stopping production entirely.

Tim Cook even said the company entered into this knowing that the headset wasn’t a mass-market product. They know only a limited number of people will buy it. The factory may be lowering its production rate, but that would be normal in this scenario. 

That said, the rumors about Apple Vision Pro being discontinued may hold some truth. After all, there is another set of rumors that the company plans to develop a cheaper version of the Vision Pro to increase its marketability. However, various news outlets have been going back and forth on whether this will happen, with some claiming it’s off the table for now. 

Will the Rumored Headset Save Apple’s Vision for VR?

According to the rumors, a cheaper version of the Vision Pro is in the works. Mark Gurman, a Bloomberg reporter with a long history of accurate reporting on Apple, suggests it could hit the market as soon as 2025. The idea is that they haven’t failed — they’ve simply slowed production to focus on creating the next generation of mixed-reality technology. 

The Apple Vision Pro’s price kept it from being something the average person could get. A cheaper version could save the company’s vision for VR development. That said, it may only be more affordable by comparison. Although the cost of such a headset is still up in the air, it could be around $2,000. Despite being $1,500 cheaper than the original, that’s still expensive. 

Even after knocking over one-third of the price off, the next generation of the Vision Pro would still cost hundreds of dollars more than other models. As of 2024, it would outprice the $1,299 Lenovo ThinkReality VRX, the $1,099 HTC Vive XR Elite, the $999 Meta Quest Pro and the $499 Meta Quest 3. 

The Wide-Reaching Implications of Lackluster Sales 

AR, VR, and mixed reality are still emerging technologies. Although they’ve been in the works for decades, they’re essentially still in their infancy. Technology moves fast, but perfection takes time. Besides, Apple’s invention is a far cry from the clunky, cord-riddled mess of VR attempts that took place in the 1990s.

That said, an expert could explain the intricacies of research and development until their face turned blue, but that still wouldn’t convince anyone to buy a headset. Yes, this technology has come a long way, but it is simply not where it needs to be yet — and that’s okay. 

Consumers are notoriously picky, so breaking ground in consumer markets with an expensive, virtually unproven piece of technology is bound to be tough, even for an industry giant like Apple. Although the Vision Pro sales didn’t meet internal targets, they weren’t abysmal. There’s still a market for this technology, even if it isn’t mass-marketable yet. 

While other, smaller tech companies will undoubtedly be hesitant to commit financially to a product like the Vision Pro because of its somewhat poor performance in consumer markets, they don’t really need to — midrange and budget headsets are selling just fine. 

Besides, the Apple Vision Pro’s price more than made up for lackluster sales. Even though the company shipped less than half the number of devices it expected to, it probably made a lot of money. At a minimum of $3,500 per 500,000 units, it would’ve earned roughly $1.75 billion. No one should worry about the VR industry dying any time soon. 

Is Apple’s Vision for the Future of VR Still Fuzzy?

Even if Apple shelves this technology for a while, it clearly knows what it wants to do with it. Plus, purely from an innovation standpoint, VR, AR and mixed reality are here to stay. Tech companies can only reinvent the wheel — like releasing a “new” phone that has undergone unnoticeable changes — so many times before consumers demand something different. 

Apple’s flagship headset was a proof of concept, really. This unexplored technology is still new. It needs room to grow before engineers and developers can perfect it. Plus, even though consumer demand for the device wasn’t impressive, it exists. Given time and technological advancements, the company will likely return to this technology.