In a bid to unveil its groundbreaking mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro, Apple Inc. is intensifying production efforts with a targeted launch set for February, as undisclosed sources reveal. Manufacturing, in full swing in Chinese facilities for weeks, strives to have consumer-ready units by January’s end, preceding a retail debut the following month.
Apple recently nudged software developers with an email, signaling the impending Vision Pro release. The complexity of this rollout, touted as Apple’s most intricate, necessitates innovative sales strategies and equipment. With customized components, the headset requires on-site assembly and precise packaging at the point of sale. A crucial element is proper fitting to avoid content display issues and added weight discomfort for users.
Marking Apple’s entrance into a new product category since 2015’s smartwatch debut, Vision Pro champions mixed reality, blending virtual and augmented reality. Apple’s ambitious foray faces competition from Meta Platforms Inc., leading the market, but grappling with mainstream acceptance.
To make a compelling first impression, Apple is revamping retail stores for Vision Pro inventory, priced at $3,500. In addition to headsets, stores need accessories like head straps, light seals, and prescription lenses. Various sizes and configurations require extra storage and new demonstration areas, elevating the complexity.
Possible production glitches could alter the timeline, although Apple remains silent. To expedite store readiness, Apple plans training sessions at its headquarters for two staffers from each retail outlet in January. Staff will manage sales and instruct peers on marketing.
During training, retail employees will learn Vision Pro functionality, emphasizing features in conversations with buyers. Training includes attaching the headband, optional prescription lenses, and the light seal, crucial for optimal user experience. Apple plans an app to scan customers’ heads, determining the right band and light seal, with retail employees confirming app recommendations during sales.
Unlike previous product launches with media events, Vision Pro’s muted release could be due to its limited initial US availability, high price, two-hour battery life, and weight concerns. If consumer demand surges, Apple may face production challenges. The headset boasts ultrahigh-resolution displays, processors, and cameras within a curved shape, requiring flawless construction.
Vision Pro is Apple’s precursor to a line of mixed-reality products. Work is underway on more comfortable, cost-effective models. Corporate and educational markets are targeted, aiming to replicate Apple Watch’s impact on wristwatches. VisionOS, the device’s operating system, is set to launch in 2024.
Apple’s note to developers teases, “There’s so much more to come, and we can’t wait to see what the next year brings.”
Source: Bloomberg
