Apple announced its first mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro, earlier this year. The headset was expected to be released to the public in January 2024, and an in-person sales experience was said to be on the cards. However, it appears that Apple may not make the original January launch timeline after all.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman revealed that Apple is unlikely to release the Vision Pro at the earlier expected launch window. Gurman says that he is expecting the Vision Pro to be released in March 2024, now.
Apple is polishing up the Vision Pro experience for launch
Gurman says Apple is looking to delay the Vision Pro launch to “sometime around March.” The headset was unveiled earlier this year at the WWDC 2023, where Apple announced that it will be available for purchase in January 2024.
The device is currently in the last stages of testing, with Apple working on the distribution plans for the retail release of the Apple Vision Pro. The launch isn’t going to be very typical for the company, either. It’s a $3,500 headset, and a new product category for Apple, and the company is preparing accordingly.
Gurman had previously revealed that “The company will designate special areas in the stores with seating, headset demo units and tools to size accessories for buyers. While the device will be sold at all of Apple’s roughly 270 US locations, the company is planning the sections for the Vision Pro initially at stores in major areas — such as New York and Los Angeles — before rolling them out nationwide, according to people with knowledge of the plans.”
As such, it makes sense that the launch will take a little longer than previously thought. The software also needs to be very solid, which is a challenge for any new product category, so we hope the delay means a polished experience at launch.