Early demand for Apple Vision Pro causes delivery delays until March as product sells out

Preorders for Apple Inc.’s highly anticipated Vision Pro mixed-reality headset were finally made available on Friday, marking the company’s first opportunity to gauge consumer interest in the $3,499 device. Alongside the launch, Apple revealed two alternative configurations: a version with 512 gigabytes of storage priced at $3,699, and a top-tier model with 1 terabyte of space for $3,899. The base model comes with 256 gigabytes of storage. Additionally, Apple announced the sale of a carrying case for $199, extra batteries for $199, and individual bands for $99 each.

The product went on sale at 8 a.m. ET on Apple’s website and mobile app. The first Vision Pro orders are scheduled to be delivered to stores and consumers on February 2nd. But the delivery dates for all three models quickly dropped from the 8th to the 15th. March for online orders, while the device was sold out for store pickup on the first day in many locations. A delay suggests that either demand is strong or supply is limited – or something in between.

Vision Pro’s Purchase Process is unique. Customers must scan their head with a recent iPhone or iPad and, if necessary, provide a vision prescription. Apple usually does not comment on sales of new products.

Wall Street analysts predict a slow launch for the device. UBS Group AG analyst David Vogt expects Apple to ship 300,000 to 400,000 units this year, generating up to $1.4 billion. For a company with $383 billion in revenue last year, that’s “irrelevant.”

Apple shares were little changed at $189.80 in premarket trading in New York on Friday.

However, the idea is to create a platform for something bigger. Apple is moving into its first major new product category since the company started selling smartwatches in 2015, and the Vision Pro could take years to catch up. Apple continues to refine the headphones — making them cheaper and more comfortable — and finding compelling applications for the device.

In the longer term, Apple could use a new money maker. The smartphone market has matured and is under particular pressure in China. The company’s net sales have fallen for four consecutive quarters – its longest downward streak in more than two decades.

Initially, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company plans to sell the Vision Pro only in the United States, and it will roll out to other markets in the coming months. Bloomberg News has reported that the company is eyeing the UK, Canada and China among the first.

It is a complex product to manufacture, which may limit early deliveries. The headset’s dual 4K resolution screens, which combine virtual and augmented reality, have suffered from production issues. But the fact that Apple has been ramping up production for months suggests it will be able to meet initial demand. The company is also offering a 25% discount on the device to employees, showing that supplies aren’t too tight.

Inside Apple, executives expect a strong opening weekend, with sales declining later. At $3,499, the Vision Pro is one of the most expensive consumer headsets ever — about seven times more than the latest device from VR market leader Meta Platforms Inc.

Vision Pro is also a difficult product to share with family and friends. It requires a precise fitting process to guarantee a good experience. Face scanning is designed to determine the best light seal and strap size for users. The company has produced 25 different light seals – padding that prevents light from entering the user’s field of vision – in addition to two straps. Prescription lens inserts are also available for an additional fee.

And some people may find it difficult to use headphones for long periods of time. In early testing, some users have found it too heavy.

Another concern that has come up in recent days is the lack of support for top streaming apps. Netflix Inc., Spotify Technology SA and Google’s YouTube have decided not to release software for the device, at least at launch.

But Apple has been carefully refined in its sales pitch for the headphones. When consumers try it out at Apple retail stores, they get a 25-minute demo that lets them get used to the 3D experience, which the company calls “spatial information technology.”

To commemorate the release, Apple executives Mike Rockwell and Alan Dye discussed the device in a Q&A with employees this week.

Dye said a key focus was to make sure the Vision Pro didn’t have a closed-in feel – the choice of VR headsets.

“We all had concerns from the beginning about people sitting blindfolded and disconnected from the world,” he said. “It really became central to how we thought about the basic principles of the product.”

This led to the EyeSight system, which can display the user’s eyes through the screen on the front of the Vision Pro. “It was a huge technical challenge to do this in a way that looks and feels natural,” Rockwell said.

Apple also developed a user interface that does not require hand-held accessories. Instead, it tracks eye movements and hand gestures. Users control the device by looking at an object on the screen and selecting it by pinching their fingers together.

One of the biggest selling points may be how easy it makes collaboration, Rockwell said. Users in distant locations can feel like they are in the same place.

“It’s the closest you can get to being there in person,” Rockwell said. “It changes the way you collaborate and is very different from video conferencing as we know it.”

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