In the realm of consumer electronics, Apple’s Vision Pro, touted as the tech giant’s inaugural “spatial computing” device, remains a significant enigma as we approach the new year. Despite our awareness of the Vision Pro for over six months and the years of circulating rumors, its impending release has become one of the industry’s most pressing uncertainties. Unveiled at WWDC in June with a price tag of $3,499, the headset was initially slated for an “early-2024” launch. However, Apple has refrained from providing more specific details since its debut.
On December 24, Ming-Chi Kuo, a reputable Apple analyst, presented an early holiday revelation, narrowing down the expected release timeframe to “late-January/early-February.” According to Kuo, the initial batch of Vision Pros is anticipated to be shipped to Apple within a month, with a projected total shipment volume of approximately 500,000 units for the entire year.
The precise annual target set by the Cupertino-based company remains an unanswered question. Initial reports, emerging about a month after the device’s unveiling, suggested a scaling back of expectations from one million to “fewer than 400,000” units.
Even with the updated figure of 500,000 units, the number seems modest for a company of Apple’s colossal stature and influence, especially considering the shipment of over 200 million iPhones projected for this calendar year.
However, the Vision Pro is widely recognized as the boldest move of Tim Cook’s 12-year tenure as Apple’s CEO. Not only does it mark the company’s foray into an entirely new category and form factor, but it also carries a prohibitive price tag, even for consumers accustomed to the premium cost of Apple products. Coupled with the historical underperformance of virtual reality (VR) in meeting expectations over decades, Apple faces a formidable uphill battle.
Kuo goes as far as deeming the Vision Pro “Apple’s most important product of 2024.” Given the extensive speculation, time, and financial investment dedicated to the headset, this statement underscores the pivotal role the device is expected to play in Apple’s strategic portfolio.
