Silicon Valley: The Apple Vision Pro era is now officially over, as the company has reportedly put a stop to all work on the headset due to a sales fiasco. The abrupt decision comes after one of its biggest blunders ever, as the $3,499 “spatial computer” suffered from high returns and low sales. Last year, the company attempted to save the device by giving it a more powerful M5 chip, but the rescue operation failed, forcing Apple to halt production. So how did a company that rarely loses, lose millions of dollars on a product as simple as a pair of glasses?
The crash through was due to the “wow factor” of the headset being outweighed by the “ouch factor” of using it. The headset was almost 1.5 lbs and felt like a big rock on your face, causing severe headaches and eyestrain, and prompting people to go back to the store for a refund. The $3,499 price point was also too much to pay for a “gadget” that was too big to take into the real world, like an iPhone. Despite the best display on the market, there were few interesting games or “killer apps” to keep users hooked.
But now, Apple is on a mission to turn away from these bulky headsets and towards something much smaller and lighter. It has reportedly abandoned a plan for a cheaper “Vision Air” device to instead pursue smart eyewear that resembles regular glasses. This decision comes as competitors such as Samsung and Meta are making inroads with smaller, more affordable, and much more user-friendly devices. Apple is now racing to keep up, but will they be able to take this elephant and make it into a wearable mouse before it’s too late?
