Subj : Apples Vision Pro might be impossible to buy and not just becaus To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Wed Jul 05 2023 12:00:03 Apples Vision Pro might be impossible to buy and not just because of its price Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2023 10:51:09 +0000 Description: Apple might produce limited numbers of its new Vision Pro VR headset in 2024, which could make it a challenge to buy one. FULL STORY ====================================================================== We knew that getting our hands on the Apple Vision Pro would be a challenge unless you happen to have a spare $3,499 (around 2,800 / AU$5,300) lying around that is. But even if you're able to afford the super-expensive VR headset you might still be out of luck, as new reports suggest Apple will produce limited numbers this year. Thats according to a report from Bloomberg , which cites a paywalled Financial Times article claiming that Apple is having to rethink its sales targets for the Vision Pro, as it likely wont be able to make as many as originally planned. Apple had apparently hoped to sell one million headsets in 2024, but sources from Apple and Luxshare, which is currently the sole manufacturer of the headset, say they'll struggle to produce 400,000, while suppliers of key Vision Pro components have suggested that Apple may only be able to make around 150,000 with the parts it's requested. This follows reports earlier this year that Apple may only be able to produce 300,000 Vision Pros in its first year of sale , and that Apple itself had predicted it would only sell around 100,000 headsets. For comparison, Metas Quest 2 sold an estimated 8.7 million units in its first full year on sale. It's worth nothing that these latest reports are based on uncorroborated leaks, and while Apple may be struggling to hit its targets now, that situation could change, and Apple and Luxshare might be able to speed up production. Whats more, if the Apple Vision Pro doesn't prove hugely popular with consumers, 100,000 units could be all Apple needs to meet demand; low production numbers would only become a problem if the headset sells like hotcakes. What could be causing Apples production problems? Apple's VR headset may struggle take the VR crown from Meta (Image credit: Apple) So how is Meta able to produce millions of VR headsets a year while Apple is reportedly struggling to make a fraction of that? We dont know for certain, but there are a couple of possible and reported reasons for the Vision Pros rumored production problems. For one, Meta has been in the VR game for a while now, and as a result it has well-established production pipelines, and it also has a better grasp of how popular its gadgets will be thanks to sales data that goes back to 2016, when the original Oculus Rift launched. Apple is flying blind to some extent this is its first foray into XR tech (a catchall term for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality), and it doesnt yet know how things will pan out. By limiting production theres a much lower risk that itll wind up with warehouses full of a gadget no one wants to buy. Also, Apples Vision Pro isnt like other VR headsets and this isnt simply because of the ethereal Apple difference that makes its tech so attractive fans. The Vision Pro has features we havent really seen before in VR headsets especially not all packaged together. It has dual micro-OLED displays that boast a higher resolution than the current best VR headsets , an outer display that can show off the headset wearers eyes via its EyeSight tech, a 3D camera for mapping a persons face or an object, and a bevy of other sensors to facilitate next-generation hand-tracking, to name just a few. Cramming all this into the headset is a challenge, according to insiders familiar with the situation, causing the Vision Pro to have low production yields read: its slow to produce, and a number of Apples headsets may have defects that mean they cant be sold. As we've mentioned, we wont know how easy it will be for would-be buyers to get our hands on the Apple Vision Pro until it launches sometime in 2024. When it does go on sale, youll want to make sure youve read our Apple Vision Pro hands-on review , and checked out the competition (like the Meta Quest Pro ) to know if you want one or not as you may need to move quickly if you want to order one before stock runs out. ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/apples-v ision-pro-might-be-impossible-to-buy-and-not-just-because-of-its-price --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .