In 2007, Steve Jobs launched the iPhone. In 2024, Tim Cook, his successor for a dozen years, launches the Vision Pro. He presented it as being“spatial computing” what the Mac is at“personal computing” and the iPhone,“mobile computing”. The CEO of the Cupertino (California) firm explained that this mixed reality headset is “a new type of computer that augments reality by seamlessly blending the real world with a digital world. You see through it without looking at it: you are no longer limited by a screen, your environment becoming an infinite canvas”. No need for a computer or mouse, or even a smartphone, to be entertained, watch films, take photos, share content, make purchases or work.
Will the apple brand find success again with this audacious bet? The price of the helmet is a first obstacle. Priced at $3,500 (3,250 euros) without any options, it is three and a half times higher than that of a high-end Apple smartphone. The bill rises to $3,900 to access 1 terabyte of storage, instead of 256 or 512 gigabytes. Not to mention the accessories which can bring the bill to nearly $5,000: headband, optical insert, additional battery, travel case… Apple is taking the risk of being prohibitive.
Niche or mass?
Especially since the competition from mixed reality headsets promises to be fierce, from the giant Meta with its Quest Pro (three and a half times cheaper) to the French challenger Lynx (two and a half times cheaper), including the Taiwanese HTC with its Vive XR Elite (three times cheaper). Sony is in ambush with its future mixed reality head-mounted display, which was presented in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, an international high-tech event.
In addition, this new technology will take more time than a smartphone before professionals and the general public appropriate it. Beyond the curiosity effect inherent to all innovation, what will happen to Vision Pro sales? Niche market or mass market, the games are open.
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in Taiwan (TF International Securities), Apple received between 160,000 and 180,000 pre-orders for its Vision Pro in mid-January. After this enthusiasm, however, sales may not exceed 350,000 copies in 2024. Optimistic projections from Statista expect 1.5 million units in 2025.
One thing is certain, the firm took its time before releasing its Vision Pro: almost nine years – since the acquisition, in May 2015, of the German company Metaio, a spin-off from Volkswagen, specializing in augmented reality. If successful, this headset could allow Apple to be less dependent on its iPhones. According to the latest annual results, ending September 30, 2023, smartphones still account for 52.3% of its overall annual turnover, or $200.5 billion ($28.3 billion for iPads and $29.3 billion for Macs) out of a total of $383.2 billion.