Apple Stops Vision Pro Development After Weak Sales and High Return Rates
Apple has halted development of the Vision Pro headset due to weak sales and a high return rate, according to sources cited by MacRumors. The decision follows last year's M5 processor update, which failed to boost sales significantly. Since its launch in 2024 at a price of $3,499, Apple reportedly sold only a few hundred thousand units in total, with fewer than 100,000 units shipped each month during that year.
Production was already cut before the initial launch, and Apple stopped making the original version in late 2024. The device was later refreshed with M5 silicon, which offered higher refresh rates and a slight increase in pixel density. However, this update did not reverse the declining sales.
Why Apple Vision Pro Failed to Gain Traction
The most common complaints about the device relate to physical discomfort. The headset weighs around 1.4 pounds, and users have reported eye strain and discomfort after one to two hours of use. Other criticisms include the lack of physical controls, a virtual keyboard that is too imprecise for productivity tasks, and the social awkwardness of wearing the device in public.
The return rate for the Vision Pro was reportedly higher than that of any other Apple product in the company's history.
A weak selection of applications also contributed to low retention. The Vision Pro offered immersive versions of iOS apps, 3D video clips, streaming content, and a limited range of games, but no single use case stood out as a compelling reason to buy the device at its price.
What’s Next for Apple After Vision Pro
Apple AR developers have reportedly shifted their focus to other projects. A Vision Air device, which was expected to be lighter and priced about 50% lower by 2027, appears to have been removed from the roadmap.
Instead, Apple is now exploring AR glasses, possibly in response to Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses lineup. Samsung launched the Galaxy XR headset late last year at $1,800, positioning it as a lower-cost alternative that runs Android.
Apple has not publicly commented on the future of the Vision Pro.
This is just a product that was over engineered so much it priced itself out of having any chance of real success. I am not even sure these headsets are even that in demand. Now we are seeing the smart glasses sort of becoming either the next big dud or having a better chance being a bit more affordable.