The Apple Vision Pro headset is seen on display on the Fifth Avenue Apple store on February 02, 2024 in Latest York City.
Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images
Apple announced on Tuesday that it can launch its flagship virtual reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore on June 28.
The Asian markets represent the gadget’s debut outside of the US, with pre-orders starting on Friday.
The VR headset first became available for purchase within the U.S. 4 months ago, with a starting price of $3,499. The Vision Pro will sell for its highest asking price in China, certainly one of Apple’s most significant markets, with a base cost of 29,999 yuan ($4,190).
Within the country, Apple might want to navigate the federal government’s tight regulations on content. Apps popular on the Vision Pro within the U.S. similar to Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video are unavailable in China.
As an alternative, the American tech giant said Tuesday that local developers and web corporations in China will launch recent apps and games for the Apple Vision Pro. That features Chinese tech giant Tencent, which is able to provide its video streaming app Tencent Video, and ByteDance, which is able to launch a VR version of Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
Apple may also have to compete with local rivals working on VR technologies, similar to Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer Oppo.
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But there have already been some indications of demand for the Vision Pro in China, with a gray marketplace for the headset sprouting. In line with a CNBC search on the Alibaba-owned online flea market app Xianyu, Vision Pros are selling for as much as double their official price.
“The passion for Apple Vision Pro has been extraordinary, and we’re thrilled to introduce the magic of spatial computing to more customers all over the world,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said within the Tuesday statement.
Still, the corporate’s announcement comes amid reports of waning demand for the Vision Pro within the U.S.
Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple analyst at TF International Securities, reported in April that Apple had cut Vision Pro production on account of low demand.
“The Vision Pro’s move to international markets is ahead of industry expectations and appears to be an try and drive sales amid lower-than-expected demand on account of its area of interest use case and hefty price tag,” said Le Xuan Chiew, a Canalys analyst specializing in Apple strategy research.
Apple said the Vision Pro may also open to pre-orders for Germany, France, Australia, the U.K. and Canada on June 28, with the headsets set to grow to be available on July 12.
The newest iteration of Apple’s OS for its Vision Pro, VisionOS 2, was also announced on Tuesday. The update comes with recent features and AI integrations, with the headset now compatible with 2,000 apps.