Apple’s foray into the mixed-reality market with its ambitious Vision Pro headset has hit a significant snag. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in his PowerOn newsletter, sales figures for the $3,500 headset have fallen drastically short of internal projections. Since its launch earlier this year, Apple has reportedly sold fewer than 500,000 units – a number far below the tech giant’s expectations.
The disappointing sales figures are further compounded by low usage rates among existing customers. Gurman cites internal Apple data indicating that a large portion of Vision Pro owners (excluding returns) are not using the device as frequently as Apple had predicted. This lack of consistent engagement poses a serious challenge to the headset’s long-term success and underlines a broader issue facing the VR/AR industry.
This problem isn’t isolated to Apple. Gurman points out that Meta and other headset manufacturers are grappling with similar challenges in maintaining user engagement. The difficulty in keeping consumers invested in these technologies makes the prospect of future upgrades and broader market penetration even more difficult to achieve.
Apple’s strategy to address the lackluster performance involves developing a more affordable Vision Pro model. However, this anticipated lower-cost version has been pushed back to 2027 and beyond. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the high price tag isn’t the sole impediment to widespread adoption. He argues that the current lack of compelling use cases for the Vision Pro also significantly limits its appeal to a broader consumer base.
The underwhelming performance of the Vision Pro raises important questions about the current state of the VR/AR market. While the technology offers exciting possibilities, the high price point, limited applications, and challenges in maintaining user engagement present significant hurdles to overcome for Apple and the entire industry. The future of mixed-reality headsets will depend on finding solutions to these issues, offering more compelling reasons for consumers to invest, and delivering a genuinely valuable user experience. The clock is ticking for Apple and other players to prove the value proposition of this emerging technology before consumer interest wanes further.
