What you should know
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- Apple‘s Vision Pro headset has faced lower than anticipated demand, leading to a significant reduction in shipment units, from 700–800k down to just 400–450k, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
- The high price tag of $3,500 and the lack of groundbreaking AR/VR features in the Apple Vision Pro have been criticized, making it less appealing compared to other headsets in the market.
- Meta has introduced its ‘Open Mixed Reality Ecosystem’, open-sourcing its Meta Horizon OS, which could position it as the Android of the AR/VR world, potentially overshadowing Apple’s Vision Pro.
- Apple’s strategy with the Vision Pro, characterized by its high price and over-engineering, might not be enough to compete in the increasingly competitive and accessible AR/VR market led by Meta’s more affordable and widely adopted platforms.
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Full Story
Oh boy, Tim Cook’s big dream, the Apple Vision Pro, hasn’t exactly been the blockbuster hit everyone was expecting. It was supposed to be this groundbreaking AR/VR gadget. A new way to internet, work, and play. But, uh-oh, Ming-Chi Kuo, a name you can usually bet on, spilled the beans. Demand? Not looking too hot. Apple’s response? Slash those shipment forecasts from a hopeful 700–800k down to a more modest 400–450k. Yikes.
And if you’re not in the US, hoping to wrap one of these around your noggin? Might wanna sit down for this—delays, or worse, a full-on halt could be on the horizon. Those dreams of a cheaper Apple Vision in the near future? Might as well hit pause on that too. Mark Gurman, another insider, is whispering about a dry spell lasting until 2026. Dark days indeed for Apple’s grand plans. And who’s at the helm of this ship? Yep, Tim.
Now, let’s get real—if all this is on the money, Apple’s staring down one of its biggest oopsies. Dominating new markets is kinda their thing, but AR/VR? Might’ve missed the boat there. Entered too late, and with a product so fancy and pricey, it’s practically in a league of its own. For a cool $3,500, you’d expect to be blown away, but apart from some neat tricks like FaceTime, hand, and eye tracking, it’s a bit… meh. Even us VR nerds are scratching our heads.
But wait, there’s more. Just when Apple’s trying to figure out its next move, Meta swoops in with a game-changer. They’re taking a page out of Google’s playbook, making their AR/VR OS open-source. This could be a game-changer, folks.
Android’s everywhere because Google made it easy for any Tom, Dick, or Harry to build a phone around it. Now, Meta’s doing the same with AR/VR. This is big. It means startups to tech giants can jump into the AR/VR pool without having to reinvent the wheel. Remember the Windows Phone? Exactly.
So, Meta’s Horizon OS is now the Android of the AR/VR world. And with the Meta Quest 2 and 3 being as popular as they are, plus super affordable compared to Apple’s golden child, it’s not looking great for the Vision Pro. Meta’s even got big names like Asus and Lenovo on board. Samsung might be next. The AR/VR market’s about to explode with options, which means Apple’s got its work cut out.
I mean, I wanted the Vision Pro to be a hit. But that price tag? No thanks. I’ll stick with my Quest 3. It’s affordable, and now with Meta’s OS going open-source, we’re about to see a whole new world of AR/VR headsets. Apple’s strategy of premium pricing and exclusivity might not cut it this time.
As an AR/VR enthusiast, even I balked at the Vision Pro’s price and lackluster features. What’s the average Joe supposed to think? So, here’s the million-dollar question: Can the Vision Pro bounce back and become the iPhone of the AR/VR world, or is it doomed to be a footnote in tech history? Only time will tell, but Apple’s definitely got a challenge ahead, especially with Meta’s Android-esque move. What do you think? Will Apple turn things around, or is this a rare miss for the tech giant?
