The Vision Pro, Apple's first mixed reality mask, will be released in the USA on Friday for the equivalent of just under 4,000 euros. This mask is technologically convincing, but the risk of commercial failure is by no means ruled out. And Apple CEO Tim Cook is toying with what he calls a revolution, “spatial computing.”
Published on January 28, 2024 2:38 p.m
Reading time: 2 minutes
The mixed reality mask “Vision Pro” will be presented by Apple in the USA on February 2nd. At a price of just under 4,000 euros… (APPLE)
Imagine a ski mask that combines a state-of-the-art Mac computer, an ultra-high-resolution panoramic screen, a keyboard, a mouse and an entirely new vision of computing. In the Vision Pro, your entire open space, your living room, your office becomes your workspace when not transformed into a cinema room with immersive sound.
But here it is: At $3,499 before taxes, the Vision Pro is expensive: almost seven times more than Meta's Quest 3, three times more than the Quest Pro, twice as much as the Vive XR Elite. And yet Apple would have sold almost 200,000 copies in the first three days of pre-orders, knowing that the number of copies actually available for the release scheduled for this Friday, February 2nd is estimated to be less than 90,000.
Result: In less than an hour, the Vision Pro was sold out and delivery dates began to move to the beginning of March. So can we still speak of success? It's far too early and the numbers are tiny when compared to the 234 million iPhones sold in 2023, an average of 641,000 per day.
The risk for Apple is the “Pschitt” effect: the first weekend was stormed by those who really wanted it, really needed it or for whom money wasn’t a problem. We will see over the weeks and months how sales hold up or not at this price, which for many is off-putting.
Another important element: feedback from users and customers
Starting Friday, the general public can test and discover what the Vision Pro has to offer in American Apple Stores. Some of the brand's stores in the United States will have a dedicated area with a vegan leather bench and square of carpet to make them feel “at home,” and a dozen available masks for older children. Apple Store.
There is a risk that the weight of the helmet (between 600 and 650 grams depending on the accessories used) will increase significantly once the “wow” effect is over. Apple would have planned for each trial to not exceed 25 minutes, and not just so that as many customers as possible could experience it. After the surprise of the first moments, it would be a shame if the mass of the mask and the pressure exerted on the head became problematic…
The Vision Pro's adoption by application publishers and developers represents another important barometer for this new product category, the first for Apple since the Apple Watch 10 years ago. And this welcome is very clear! On the one hand, there are the enthusiasts, those who want to be the first to stand out and innovate. At least 250 optimized applications will be available at launch, including Paramount+, Prime Video, Disney+, Zoom, TikTok, Microsoft with Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Teams. In France, myCANAL and Decathlon are also in the running, awaiting the arrival of the Vision Pro on this side of the Atlantic.
The Vision Pro? According to Netflix, an “insignificant” market
And then there are the heavy hitters who don't release an optimized application or even prevent their iPad app – although compatible by default – from working in the Vision Pro. “Insignificant” market, says Netflix. The same applies to YouTube or Spotify. Fortunately, we can still use these services through Safari, Apple's web browser.
The timing of the Vision Pro's arrival in countries other than the United States will also be an indication of demand for the mask (and Apple's ability to produce it in very large quantities).
By the next global Apple developer conference, traditionally held in early June, Tim Cook could announce the arrival of the Vision Pro in several other countries: we're talking about Canada, the United Kingdom and perhaps China or Germany. For France we will probably have to wait for the next step, probably at the end of the year, even if that means benefiting directly from the second generation of the mask, which may be cheaper.