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Apple’s virtual reality headset was rumored for years before it finally made an appearance last year, and it is, in many ways, the quintessential Apple product. The Vision Pro is wildly expensive, with a curated but limited feature set and deep integrations with other Apple products. It is beginning to look like Apple’s standard approach to product design isn’t working in VR. A new report claims that Vision Pro sales have crashed, and they were never very high to begin with.
Even knowing that Apple isn’t afraid of high prices, the Vision Pro’s $3,500 price tag was a shock. You could purchase a MacBook Pro, an iPhone, and an iPad Pro for less than the cost of the Vision Pro, and there isn’t much content designed for this brand-new platform. While there were lines outside Apple stores on launch day, the hype was reportedly short-lived.
Market research firm IDC tells Bloomberg that the Apple Vision Pro (AVP) hasn’t even sold 100,000 units since its February launch. The headset may eventually creep over that milestone, but it won’t be soon. Apple’s sales have fallen off a cliff this quarter, down 75% from early 2024. Projections that Apple could move 500,000 units in 2024 were far too optimistic, reports IDC.
At launch, AVP was only available in the US, but sales opened up internationally at the end of June. However, IDC does not expect international sales to turn things around. Super-premium devices like AVP tend to sell better in the US than in other regions. In addition to the high price, IDC cites the lack of content as a barrier to adoption. Many AVP buyers have put their headsets aside, finding there’s very little left to experience after a few weeks. That’s a problem even with more popular headsets like the Meta Quest 3.
“The Vision Pro’s success, regardless of its price, will ultimately depend on the available content,” said IDC’s Francisco Jeronimo. “As Apple expands the product to international markets, it’s crucial that local content is also made available.”
Credit: Apple
The only bright spot in the report is a product that doesn’t exist yet. There are rumors that Apple has stopped work on the second-generation Vision Pro to focus on a low-cost model. IDC believes this device could cost about half as much as the current model and sell in volumes closer to what Apple expected for its VR push. Previous leaks have suggested Apple will keep the same market-leading displays in its budget headset but will reduce the number of cameras and use cheaper materials.
IDC does not expect Apple VR sales to increase again until the less expensive headset is available, but Apple hasn’t even confirmed this device exists. Assuming the rumors are correct, we could see the cheaper Vision Pro around the end of 2025. That will at least give Apple time to expand its content catalog to make these devices more appealing.