Report: Apple is preparing to sell Vision Pro for the first time outside the United States

Vision Pro sales sluggish, Apple getting anxious? On May 13th, according to media reports, Apple is preparing to launch its $3499 mixed reality headset Vision Pro in markets outside the United States, including entering the Chinese market in 2024 to test the appeal of Vision Pro in overseas markets. Vision Pro is a major new product launched by Apple over the years, combining virtual content with views of the real world. Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, described this as the beginning of the "spatial computing era." However, due to its high price ($3499, more than three times the price of the iPhone 15 Pro) and lack of attractive applications, Vision Pro is still a niche product. Although the launch of Vision Pro initially generated great interest in the United States, its sales have gradually declined, with some stores selling only a few units per week. Additionally, some customers who made appointments for a trial did not actually experience it as scheduled. As a result, the sales of Apple's Wearables, Home, and Accessories segment decreased by 10% this quarter. In overseas markets, although it has not been officially launched, Vision Pro has attracted an initial wave of demand through unofficial resellers. However, in places like Hong Kong, consumers can now even purchase this device at prices below retail. To reverse the current weak sales situation, Apple is making various efforts, such as: Apple is seeking to boost sales through international expansion, especially considering the strong interest in virtual reality technology in the Chinese and Japanese markets, the market demand for this core feature seems promising. Due to limited sales caused by high prices, Apple is also considering launching a cheaper model of Vision Pro to attract more customers, but is currently working on reducing costs. Apple plans to launch the second generation visionOS operating system for Vision Pro in June to enhance the device's performance and appeal. Additionally, while there are plans to update the device's operating system in June, Apple does not plan to release a new version of Vision Pro until the end of 2026. Apple prominently showcases Vision Pro on its official website. Apple actively seeks to understand the reasons why customers do not make a purchase after trying on the device. According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple plans to launch Vision Pro internationally for the first time after next month's Worldwide Developers Conference. Tim Cook has also specifically stated that Vision Pro will enter the Chinese market in 2024. To ensure that its global retail store employees can effectively showcase this new device to customers, Apple recently started a four-day training course These courses started last week and are held in Cupertino, California, where Apple Inc. is headquartered. Currently, hundreds of employees from international stores are participating. However, Apple maintains its consistent policy of confidentiality and has not informed employees in the training program about the specific countries where Vision Pro will be launched. Nevertheless, the company is training employees from Germany, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and China, indicating that these regions may be the first batch of international markets for Vision Pro. An Apple spokesperson declined to comment on this news. Currently, Apple is working to enhance the market acceptance of this mixed reality headset, especially in international markets, and whether it will succeed remains to be seen