Apple ends Vision Pro development after poor sales
Summary
Apple has reportedly shelved its Vision Pro headset after an M5 chip refresh in October failed to boost consumer interest, leading to the disbandment of its development team. Despite the M5 update enhancing refresh rate to 120Hz, increasing rendered pixels by 10%, and adding 30 minutes to battery life, the device's $3,499 price remained unchanged, and sales stagnated. The Vision Pro, launched in February 2024, faced criticism for its weight, limited battery life, and insufficient native visionOS apps. IDC projected only 45,000 units shipped in Q4 2025, a significant drop from 390,000 in 2024, with manufacturing partner Luxshare ceasing production early in 2025. Apple is now shifting its focus to AI-powered smart glasses, codenamed N50, with a potential reveal in late 2026 and launch in 2027.
Key takeaway
For Product Managers evaluating new hardware initiatives, your focus should be on balancing advanced features with market-acceptable pricing and ergonomic design. The Vision Pro's high cost and comfort issues, despite technical upgrades, underscore the importance of addressing core user pain points early to avoid high return rates and product discontinuation.
Key insights
High price, design flaws, and limited apps led Apple to shelve Vision Pro and pivot to AI smart glasses.
Principles
- Market acceptance dictates product longevity.
- Price sensitivity impacts premium tech adoption.
In practice
- Prioritize comfort and battery life in wearable design.
- Ensure robust app ecosystem for new platforms.
Topics
- Apple Vision Pro
- Product Discontinuation
- AI Smart Glasses
- Market Sales
- Spatial Computing
Best for: Product Manager, Entrepreneur, Tech Journalist, AI Product Manager, Investor
Related on AIssential
Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Dataconomy.