Apple Vision Pro could be extremely restricted at launch, report says

Apple’s new Vision Pro headset could be extremely restricted at launch, reports have warned.

The company might only be able to have as many as 60,000 to 80,000 units ready to go on launch day, according to a report from reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. That would likelymean that they sell out very quickly.

The company is expected to ship around 500,000 of the headsets in the whole year.

Ever since it was unveiled in June this year, reports have warned that Apple could be limited in how many of the Vision Pro headsets it can actually make. They depend on a host of new and complicated parts, including displays made by Sony that might only be available in relatively small numbers.

Apple itself appears to have relatively humble hopes for the first year of the Vision Pro. With its high price at $3,499 and the “Pro” in its name, Apple is thought to be partly launching the headset with a view to having developers create experiences for more affordable and mainstream versions later on.

The Vision Pro will be released on 2 February, Apple said. Customerscan start pre-ordering them on 19 January.

Apple has also sent an email to customers ahead of the ordering process, telling them about how it will work. It is intended to allow customers to prepare for the ordering process, which will be more complicated than with more traditional products.

The email cautions them to have an iPhone or iPad with FaceID nearby, so that they can be scanned to ensure the headset will fit, and that their Apple Store app should be updated. It also advises them to keep their prescription around, so that Apple can provide the necessary optical inserts to ensure it is clear inside the headset.

Apple had long been rumoured to be planning a complicated in-person shopping experience for the headset. But it is allowing customers to buy them through its app – albeit with some measurements required first.

The company is yet to give any details on when the headset might go on sale in the rest of the world.