The Apple Vision Pro, the company’s first new product in seven years, will be available for purchase on June 28 in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore, according to an announcement made by Apple on Tuesday, June 11.
The device made its debut outside of the United States in Asian markets on Friday, when pre-orders began.
With a starting price of $3,499, the VR headset was first made available for purchase in the United States four months ago. The Vision Star will sell for its most noteworthy asking price in China, perhaps of Apple’s most essential market, with a base price of 29,999 yuan ($4,190).
Apple will have to deal with the strict content regulations enforced by the government in the country. Disney + and Amazon Prime Video, two popular apps on the Vision Pro in the United States, are unavailable in China.
The American tech giant said on Tuesday that Chinese internet companies and local developers will release new games and apps for the Apple Vision Pro. This includes ByteDance, which will launch a virtual reality version of Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, and Chinese tech giant Tencent, which will provide its video streaming app Tencent Video.
Additionally, Apple will need to compete with local rivals developing VR technologies, such as Oppo, a Chinese manufacturer of consumer electronics.
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However, there are already signs of demand for the Vision Pro in China, and there is now a gray market for the headset. Vision Pros are said to be selling for up to twice their official price, according to reports.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated,
“The enthusiasm for Apple Vision Pro has been extraordinary, and we are thrilled to introduce the magic of spatial computing to more customers around the world,”
However, the company’s announcement comes amid reports of decreasing demand for the Vision Pro in the United States. In April, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple had reduced production of the Vision Pro due to low demand.
“The Vision Pro’s move to international markets is ahead of industry expectations and appears to be an attempt to drive sales amid lower-than-expected demand due to its niche use case and hefty price tag,” said Le Xuan Chiew, a Canalys analyst focusing on Apple strategy research.
The Vision Pro, according to Apple, will also be available for pre-order on June 28 in Germany, France, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The headsets are expected to be available on July 12.
On Tuesday, Apple also announced VisionOS 2, the most recent version of its Vision Pro operating system. The headset is now compatible with 2,000 apps thanks to the update, which includes new features and AI integrations.
