A multitude of reasons exist for why the Apple Vision Pro did not reach the heights that it was intended to, given that it is a technological marvel compared to its competitors. Ultimately, the poor traction forced the company to inform suppliers not to produce any more units after 2024 ends. According to the latest report, the $3,499 headset did not even reach half a million sales, and based on Apple’s internal data, those who currently own it are not engaging with it much.
It is not just the pricing that resulted in the Apple Vision Pro failing to grab the mass market, as the headset’s competitors have failed to get users hooked
Despite the lackluster sales, the Apple Vision Pro will continue to be defended by Chief Executive Tim Cook, who previously stated that the device is not a product made for the masses, but for those who want to experience tomorrow’s technology today. Unfortunately, people who want to experience cutting-edge hardware also need to possess deep pockets to bankroll the purchase, and those appear to be few in number.
Even those who forked over $3,499 for the Apple Vision Pro ended up returning it, which altered the total sales figure. According to Mark Gurman, in his latest ‘Power On’ newsletter, he mentions that current Apple Vision Pro owners are not using the product as much as previously expected, and it is a problem that is plaguing headsets from Meta and other companies. It appears that the market has a ton of room to mature and expand before consumers start putting them in the same usage bracket as smartphones.
“Since the Vision Pro went on sale in February, I’m told that the company has sold fewer than half a million units. And a large number of Vision Pro buyers (those who haven’t returned it) aren’t using the product as much as Apple anticipated, according to internal data gathered by the company. Of course, that second problem isn’t unique to Apple. Meta and other headset makers also have struggled to keep customers hooked on their products. But it makes it that much harder to get consumers to upgrade someday.”
This consumer behavior might be the reason why the low-cost version of Apple Vision Pro has been delayed beyond 2027, with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo commenting that it is not just the high price that is a barrier between a consumer and a purchase but also the lack of an acceptable use case. Hopefully, when there is a comprehensive app library, not to mention additional productivity-focused and media consumption features that arrive with successive updates, the Apple Vision Pro will pick up in popularity.
