Probably technical problems
Apple lowers targets for new data glasses
7/3/2023 11:07 am
With a new type of computer glasses, Apple wants to bring another successful product innovation onto the market. The “Vision Pro” is complex. So complex that the tech group has problems with production.
According to a newspaper report, Apple is cutting the production targets for the new data glasses due to technical problems. The Chinese contract manufacturer Luxhare is expected to assemble fewer than 400,000 Vision Pro units in 2024, writes the Financial Times, citing insiders. Originally, Apple aimed internally for a sales target of one million copies within the first twelve months after the market launch.
The paper cited the complexity of the product as the reason for the forecast reduction. This makes mass production difficult. The main problems were the high error rates for the micro-LEDs for the screens of the data glasses. For this reason, the launch of a cheaper entry-level version will also be delayed. Apple introduced the long-awaited “Vision Pro” a few weeks ago.
On the one hand, the Vision Pro allows users to immerse themselves in virtual reality like conventional VR glasses, but at the same time allows them to perceive the analogue environment again and again. The headset, which looks like futuristic ski goggles, offers users a three-dimensional user interface. With this, you can see your analogue environment and virtual reality at the same time or switch between both worlds. Apple calls the Vision Pro a portable environmental computer.
Apple sees a possible use for the Vision Pro at work because you can display many large virtual displays in your field of vision. However, the Apple glasses should also be able to be used like a mobile 3D cinema and for other entertainment applications. The device, which starts at $3,499, will probably be available in the US from early 2024.