The start of the new year could mean the end of the Apple Vision Pro, as the latest report claims that the excruciatingly expensive headset could stop being produced by the end of this year. It is likely that the technology giant had dotted an estimate on how many units would be shipped this year, and even though that figure would not be encouraging when deciding the future of this category, Apple has plans to introduce a low-cost model sometime in 2025 to help increase the momentum.
Suppliers have produced enough components for up to 600,000 Apple Vision Pro units, with several warehouses continuing to have thousands of parts undelivered
A paywalled report from The Information that was spotted by MacRumors cited multiple people who were directly involved with making the Apple Vision Pro components, and they informed the outlet that production is being scaled back. The reason for this is simple; there are more than sufficient components available for the Apple Vision Pro, to the point that some factories had actually stopped production as early as May, with thousands of parts continuing to occupy warehouses as the headset fails to get sufficient traction going in major markets.
With Apple slightly lifting the production pedal, it appears that the Cupertino firm wants to shift focus to the affordable version of its head-mounted wearable. While the estimated launch timeline has not been mentioned anywhere, the low-cost Apple Vision Pro is said to be priced around $2,000, making it a significant reduction over the $3,499 sum that buyers had to part ways with, and that too, for the base storage. However, Apple is said to make a number of trade-offs with the future launch, starting with the build quality, which is rumored to comprise of plastic in some areas.
The device is also said to feature an A-series chipset instead of an M-series one, with Apple previously reported to have received panel samples from Japan Display with a pixel density of 1,500PPI, making it less than half of the Apple Vision Pro’s 3,386PPI. Even if the ludicrously expensive mixed-reality did not garner sufficient sales this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook had previously admitted in an interview that it was never targeted to the masses but to those who wanted to experience tomorrow’s technology today.
Given that the previous estimates revealed that the Apple Vision Pro had failed to cross 100,000 shipments in the U.S., it is clear that not many customers want to keep tomorrow’s technology in their possession. At least now, the technology giant can inform its suppliers to free up the production lines for other devices, and it just so happens that Apple is preparing for the M4 Mac's launch in the coming days.
News Source: The Information
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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