It’s been 9 years since Apple launched a new product (the last new product was the Apple Watch). And that’s one of the reasons why the Vision Pro is a real eye-catcher. But also the promise of spatial computing, highlighted by Apple as the computing of the future. Enough to renew the public frenzy around mixed reality (MR) headsets. And this also affects China.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), some sellers on the very popular Chinese second-hand platform Sina Weibo are already offering the Vision Pro at twice the official launch price.
The Vision Pro headset is priced at $3,499 for a storage capacity of 256 GB. The 512 GB and 1 TB (terabyte) variants cost $3,699 and $3,899, respectively.
A staggered launch
Since the device is only available in the United States, these sellers are targeting early adopters in China, who are willing to pay a lot more to get their hands on the device.
According to Bloomberg, Apple plans to sell the product in China, the United Kingdom and Canada after the launch in the United States.
Furthermore, Taiwanese analyst Guo Ming-Chi of TF Securities estimates that Apple has already sold between 160,000 and 180,000 copies of the Vision Pro over the weekend. More than double its initial estimate of 60,000 to 80,000 units.
IDC forecasts growth of approximately 47% in this market segment
As a result, delivery times are lengthening due to the importance of the first sales of the Vision Pro.
“There was an initial rush to get the helmet,” he said, “and that might die down after that.” Taiwanese market research firm TrendForce expects Vision Pro shipments of 500,000 to 600,000 units this year if initial sales are strong.
Although Facebook owner Meta Platforms and Chinese brands like Pico have been making virtual reality (VR) devices for years with limited success, analysts believe Apple’s arrival will revive the market. Research firm IDC forecasts growth of around 47% in this market segment.
With the launch of these high-priced headsets, Apple is looking to diversify its revenue streams after a slight decline in sales during its last fiscal year. The American tech giant had annual revenue of $383 billion, with the iPhone accounting for more than half of that amount.
Source: “ZDNet Korea”