Massive news this weekend. Apple officially opened pre-orders for its Vision Pro MR headset on January 19, and these pre-orders sold out before the weekend ended. The sellout is notable due to general speculation concerning the price point of the Vision Pro device – $3,499 – which led some to assume that the Apple XR debut could underdeliver.
However, now the market has voted, with buyers showing unprecedented interest in the Apple MR device; the firm expects to ship roughly 500,000 products by the end of the year. Thanks to the pre-order launch, the device has sold approximately 180,000 models to US online customers.
While the current pre-order cycle is most likely made up of XR and Apple enthusiasts, broader audience interest will be tested in the coming months.
Moreover, there are most likely more enthusiast demographics still waiting for the next wave of Vision Pro devices; pundits will soon see if the interest in the device will continue after first hands are on the device.
Apple plans to debut the device in-stores and online next Friday; Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, recently said that the “era of spatial computing has arrived,” adding that the Apple Vision Pro is the most “advanced consumer electronics device ever created.”
Moreover, the release only covers US regions. Apple has not confirmed when it will debut the Vision Pro in the other areas. However, the firm may announce further details at WWDC later this year.
Apple Preps In-Store Workers
Soon, the device will be available to purchase in-store for US customers, whereby retail Apple workers will provide on-site device onboarding, introducing spatial UIs, spatial video, and third-party services.
According to reports, Apple plans to host 25-minute demos to introduce retail buyers to the spatial computing device, assisting unfamiliar customers in understanding XR – the next evolution of personal computing.
Many first-time XR users struggle with an XR headset’s setup and onboarding process, which can cause motion sickness and other difficulties. However, Apple is actively educating its employees on the headset, which could lead to promoting XR education and helping potential buyers adopt the hardware.
Customers will be able to access Apple’s one-to-one in-store onboarding processes via a sign-up service. The onboarding process does not push a user to purchase a Vision Pro; instead, it aims to increase awareness. However, a user can go on to buy a personalised device based on the onboarding process.
The demo starts with Apple workers scanning a user’s face, which allows the store to provide the customer with a Vision Pro light seal, foam cushion, and band size which best suits them. Moreover, the in-store onboarding process allows workers to provide prescription lenses for those who need them,
Once the in-store worker customises and builds a Vision Pro for a specific customer, an Apple expert will walk them through the device’s input and spatial UI framework.
Moreover, the in-store device comes pre-loaded with a selection of third-party XR applications and Apple’s lineup of productivity applications the firm optimised for spatial computing.
Apple is securing high-quality in-store onboarding processes based on its recent move to fly out Apple spatial computing experts to US retail stores to prepare for the US general release and inviting hundreds of Apple employees to its HQ to learn more about the Vision Pro.
