Apple’s Vision Pro won’t surpass 500,000 sales this year, says IDC

(Bloomberg) — Apple Inc.’s biggest new product in years isn’t expected to recover from a slow start to sales until the launch of a cheaper model next year.

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The $3,500 Vision Pro mixed reality headset has yet to sell 100,000 units in a quarter since its U.S. launch in February, and faces a 75% drop in domestic sales in the current quarter, according to market tracker IDC.

The gadget’s international launch at the end of June will offset weakness in the US. A more affordable edition — which IDC estimates would cost about half the price — is expected to reignite interest in 2025, but sales may not increase significantly next year, IDC said.

“The success of Vision Pro, regardless of its price, will ultimately depend on the content available,” said Francisco Jeronimo, vice president at IDC. “As Apple expands the product into international markets, it is crucial that local content is also made available.”

Initial response to Apple’s headphone jack has been mixed. Many critics and early adopters have praised its advanced technology, but some of Apple’s biggest fans are returning the device. Its weight and scarcity of personalized apps and video content are among the top reasons people are ditching the gadget. The Vision Pro showed no tangible improvement in Apple’s quarterly profits after its debut.

The unimpressive start spurred a rethink among Apple management, with the company planning a more cost-effective version of the device. IDC’s Jeronimo predicts the product will more than double sales when it arrives in the second half of next year.

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