Will the Apple Vision Pro be discontinued? It’s certainly starting to look that way. In the last couple of months, numerous reports have emerged suggesting that Apple is either slowing down or completely halting production of its flagship headset.
So, what does that mean for Apple’s future in the extended reality market?
Apple has had a rough time with its Vision Pro headset. Despite incredibly hype leading up to the initial release, and the fact that preorders for the device sold out almost instantly, demand for headset has consistently dropped over the last year.
In fact, sales have diminished to the point that rumors have been coming thick and fast. For a while now, industry analysts and tech enthusiasts believe Apple might give up on its XR journey entirely and return its focus to other types of tech (like smartphones).
However, while Apple has failed to achieve its sales targets with the Vision Pro, I don’t think they will abandon the XR market entirely. It seems more likely that Apple will view the initial Vision Pro as an experiment, using it to pave the way to new, more popular devices.
Here’s what we know about Apple’s XR journey right now.
Apple Cuts Vision Pro Shipments: Is This the End?
Like most rumors in the extended reality world, it’s worth taking the insights of industry analysts and “leakers” with a pinch of salt. Although Apple officials, like Tim Cook, seem to be confirming the fact that Apple Vision Pro production is slowing down – nothing is concrete.
In the Summer of 2024, a report from “The Information” suggested that Apple has significantly reduced production of the Vision Pro due to dropping sales. Apple didn’t officially comment on this rumor, but other analysts have stepped in to provide supporting evidence that production is slowing.
For instance, the famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple cut its shipments by approximately half this year (from 800,000 units down to 400,000 to 450,000 units). Members of Apple’s supply chain for the Apple Vision Pro also indicated that the manufacture of certain components began halting in May 2024.
One employee at the Chinese manufacturer, Luxshare – contracted to perform Vision Pro’s final assembly processes – said that the tech giant has told them that production of the product will need to wind down by the end of November this year. Already, this company has cut assembly rates in half – producing just 1,000 units per day compared to the previous 2,000.
Keep in mind that Apple previously told its suppliers to anticipate the need for parts to create up to 8 million Vision Pro headsets throughout the device’s lifespan. Now, suppliers seem to expect to build closer to 4 million headsets in total.
Why Would the Apple Discontinue the Vision Pro?
So, why would Apple even consider discontinuing one of the most exciting devices it has ever released? As I noted in my Apple Vision Pro review, the headset is incredible – it’s one of the most powerful and intuitive mixed-reality devices I’ve ever used.
The trouble is, it’s not a device most consumers can justify buying. Even as demand for mixed reality headsets and XR devices increases, most people don’t have the budget to spend around $3,500 on just one device. That’s particularly true when competing headsets, like the Meta Quest 3, offer similar functionality for a fraction of the price.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook seems aware that the Vision Pro isn’t a “mass-market” product. He’s defined it as an “early adopter” product intended for people who really want to be on the cutting edge of the XR market.
Apple has restricted its sales by creating such a “premium” headset with an astronomically high price tag. It doesn’t help that the company didn’t start delivering this product to regions outside the United States until recently.
According to reports, Apple sold only around 370,000 headsets in the first three quarters of 2024. It’s also not expecting to sell many more by the end of the year. To put that into perspective, Meta sold about 6 million Quest 2 headsets and 3 million Quest 3 headsets within the first three-quarters of their release.
Initially, sales for the Vision Pro were reasonably good – but the hype for the product diminished very quickly. Not only has Apple only made a fraction of the sales expected, but interest seems to have dropped massively.
Even requests for demos of Vision Pro headsets have dropped at Apple Stores, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In many cases, the people who do book appointments don’t even bother to show up.
What About the Vision Pro 2?
So, if demand for the original Apple Vision Pro has waned and production is slowing, what does this mean for Apple’s plans to release new headsets? Again, we don’t know for certain.
Most analysts believe that Apple will definitely not be creating an upgraded “premium” headset in the next year or two. It seems more likely that the company will go back to the drawing board and focus on creating something more affordable for consumers.
The Information reported this year that Apple seems to be focusing all of its attention on a cheaper headset with fewer features. Other leaks have already begun to emerge, suggesting that the “Apple Vision Pro Air” will be coming sometime next year.
Some specialists suggest that Apple has been working on a more affordable model since 2022. However, this hasn’t been confirmed. If the rumors are true, the tech giant will look for ways to create a headset that’s less than half the price of the original Vision Pro (around $1,499).
This price tag would still make the “new” Vision Pro more expensive than devices like the Meta Quest 3. However, it will also ensure that Apple doesn’t have to compromise on too premium features. That’s good news for the tech giant.
Analysts say that Apple wants to retain the Vision Pro’s display elements in a low-cost alternative. That will limit how much the company can cut the price. However, the company should be able to reduce costs by creating a simpler headband, using fewer cameras, and switching to smaller speakers. They might even swap the aluminum and glass buildout for cheaper materials.
Removing the exterior screen and the “eyesight” feature (which I consider a little pointless in the first place) will also help cut costs.
Will the Original Vision Pro be Discontinued? Maybe
Things don’t look great for Apple’s original Vision Pro right now. It certainly seems like Apple is scaling back production and refocusing its attention elsewhere. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Vision Pro will disappear entirely.
Ultimately, the issues with sales of the Apple Vision Pro aren’t as unexpected as you might think. High-tech devices typically go through a period of hype, followed by stagnation. It’s unsurprising that the Vision Pro’s interest has diminished so quickly, thanks to its high price tag.
Fans of the Vision Pro and Tim Cook say revolutionary products usually suffer from growth pains. They’ve drawn attention to the fact that the original Macintosh computer initially struggled with relatively slow sales. However, it eventually changed the computing world. The case could be the same for the Apple Vision Pro.
Apple will need to rethink its approach to XR product development and sales. The company may have overestimated how much customers would be able to grasp the potential of its “spatial computing platform.” In my opinion, the Vision Pro seems like a more “enterprise-focused” device – at least in its current form.
Apple has put significant effort into showcasing potential use cases for the Vision Pro that target the enterprise market. The tech giant has already partnered with various companies on enterprise projects. The company might continue selling the Apple Vision Pro (in lower volumes) to specific consumers while turbocharging its work on a cheaper consumer device.
Alternatively, if a more affordable Vision Pro headset becomes more popular, Apple might decide to slowly “sunset” its original device completely.
Apple’s XR Journey is Far From Over
Based on all the rumors and reports I’ve found, it’s difficult to know what Apple’s next move will be. However, I don’t think the Apple Vision Pro will disappear completely. Nor do I think Apple will itself from the XR race.
If Apple does “discontinue” the original Apple Vision Pro, it seems likely that another device will emerge to take its place. Hopefully a more affordable option. Amid all this confusion, Apple is still working on XR developments.
It recently introduced an update for the VisionOS system, which wouldn’t make sense if Apple was planning to leave the XR market. Apple has also added spatial computing technology to the base version of the iPhone 16. This certainly indicates it’s not giving up on extended reality.
I think Apple will see the initial issues with the Vision Pro as a learning opportunity. Just as Google learned from the Google Glass fiasco and Meta used insights from Meta Quest 3 customers to create the Quest 3S, Apple can take the same approach.
Apple has begun to build an ecosystem for extended reality, unlike anything we’ve seen in the market. Its initial headset may be too expensive to become a mass-market product, but that doesn’t mean the journey is over. Apple will likely build on what it’s learned, leverage its proprietary technology, and experiment with new XR devices.
Over time, the original Apple Vision Pro may become a thing of the past. But I believe it will form the foundation for Apple’s rise in a new technology space, just like the original Macintosh.
