VisionPro and Apple’s first attempt at a new product line since the HomePod launched in 2018 is expected to arrive in the United States early next year. But Apple fans in the UK will have to wait a bit longer to try it out for themselves, he says. fleurberg sources.
While the piece is largely about American Steps buyers will need to go ahead and buy the headphones, it does mention Apple’s plans to expand outside of its home market “in late 2024.”
The UK and Canada were named as “two of its first international markets”, with Europe and Asia coming “shortly after”. However, he says Apple sources have said no final decision has been made yet.
Why the slow deployment? While that likely has to do with the untested nature of a $3,500 product that would comfortably rank among Apple’s most expensive consumer-facing devices, the logistics of selling the headset are also difficult.
The Bloomberg report points out that Apple has no intention of letting customers walk around and buy any of the more than 270 locations in the United States.
Interested parties will need to make an appointment where they will have their head measured in-store using an actual machine or an iPhone app currently in development. This is to ensure a perfect fit, so that the seal around the eyes effectively blocks outside light.
Shoppers will also need to register all lens prescription details prior to their visit via an online portal.
Online orders will apparently arrive in “early 2024” and will require the same prescription data, with shoppers having to “use a facial scanning app to size accessories.”
It’s understandable that Apple wants buyers to get the best possible first impressions of such an expensive product, but that limits its chances of a sale. The fact that the product isn’t just a ‘take it off the shelf’ experience means that Apple doesn’t plan to deliver the Vision Pro to third-party distributors until “at least 2025”.
Technical production difficulties were also reported, FinancialTimes I reported earlier this month that Apple now has fewer than 400,000 units in its first year, thanks to the headset’s complex design.
How much of $3,500 would be transferred on this side of the Atlantic? we’ve speculated on this elsewhere but in the long and short term it’s unlikely to be below £3,500 – more than three times the price of Meta Quest Pro since I The price fell by a third, three months after it went on sale.
