A previous leak about visionOS hinted that the Apple Vision Pro would soon be able to handle 12 languages showing its readiness to target markets beyond just the U.S. Recent reports from state media suggest that Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple mentioned the launch of the device in China this year although an exact date was not provided.
Apple Vision Pro Debuting in China
During the China Development Forum held in Beijing Cook responded to a question from the media. Reuters reported that CCTV Finance confirmed on their Weibo account that the Apple Vision Pro will be launched in China. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had also previously predicted that the headset would be launched internationally.
Given Apple’s challenges in China due to Huawei’s growing influence and decreasing demand introducing a high-end headset could potentially help increase sales. In a move, Apple offered discounts on its iPhone 15 models and other products before the Lunar New Year to counteract decreasing sales numbers.
The introduction of the Apple Vision Pro may offer support. Maintain sales momentum. For instance both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can capture video for use with this head-mounted device providing users with various immersive visual effects.
Apple is said to be preparing AI capabilities for the iPhone 16 release so it wouldn’t be unexpected if all four versions were made to work smoothly with the Apple Vision Pro providing an added benefit for buyers. Yet a major challenge, for this product will likely remain its cost.
Nevertheless, the exorbitant pricing is not entirely the company’s fault, as an earlier estimate suggested that the Apple Vision Pro costs $1,542 to manufacture, excluding expenses like research and development, packaging, marketing, logistics or Apple’s profit margin. The most costly component of the headset is the 4K micro-OLED panel duo sourced from Sony which costs Apple approximately $456.
Rumors indicate that the company is expediting the development of the next version and is in discussions with Chinese display manufacturers SeeYa and BOE to join the supply chain. Through this collaboration, future Apple Vision Pro panel costs could potentially be halved making the devices more accessible in various markets, including China.
