Vision Pro: Apple allegedly shuts down production
According to a report, Apple is considering stopping production of the Vision Pro at the end of the year. Focus is on development of a more affordable headset.
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A good eight months after the launch of the Vision Pro, Apple has reportedly begun to significantly reduce production. The company could stop production by the end of the year, as reported by The Information, citing informed persons in Apple's supply chain. The first suppliers had already reduced the production of components for the headset in May due to weak sales forecasts. Production has already been significantly reduced since the start of the summer, according to the report.
Apple Vision: Cheaper model in development
Apple has apparently built up enough inventory to cover the low demand for the Vision Pro for the foreseeable future. According to the report, suppliers have so far manufactured parts for the production of around 500,000 to 600,000 units of the headset. Apple has warned Luxshare, the contract manufacturer responsible for final assembly, that production may be discontinued in November. Currently, 1000 Vision Pros are reportedly still coming off the production line there every day. However, according to the report, the existing production lines will remain in place for the time being in order to ramp up production again if necessary.
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According to The Information, Apple has postponed the further development of a Vision Pro 2 in order to concentrate on a more affordable version. However, it is possible that the Pro model will be brought up to date with a chip upgrade at a later date. The Vision Pro is currently still based on Apple's M2 chip, while the iPad Pro already contains an M4, which is expected to make its debut in the first Macs in the near future.
Observers are expecting a (slightly) cheaper Vision headset as early as 2025, which will probably do away with the unusual external display and rely on cheaper materials and components. An entry-level price of around 2,000 US dollars is being discussed for this "Vision".
4000-euro headset not a product for the mass market
The Vision Pro has also been available in Germany since June, with prices starting at 4000 euros. Apple is also aware that this price point will not open up a mass market: Apple CEO Tim Cook explained in an interview that the headset is a product for early adopters, without commenting on the sales figures –, adding that he naturally always wants to "sell more of everything". In terms of building an ecosystem, however, the product is "probably a success", Cook said in the summer.
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