Apple is gearing up to launch its maiden $3,499 Vision Pro headset in international markets for the first time, as per reports. The anticipated rollout is slated to come hot on the heels of the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) slated for June 14, 2024. The headset is currently only available in the US.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has brought in “hundreds of employees from its international stores” to its Cupertino headquarters in California for hands-on training on how to demo the device. These training sessions reportedly commenced last week and are said to span up to four days per course.
Apple staff from various countries, including Germany, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and China are reportedly part of the training sessions though Apple appears to have kept Apple Vision Pro launch locations a secret. Which is to say, it isn’t immediately clear if Apple is planning to launch the headset in all of these markets together.
While CEO Tim Cook had previously confirmed a 2024 ETA for China, previous reports suggested the UK and Canada should be also getting it in due time— those regions don’t factor in the new report which is a curious omission. At the same time, the report is a double whammy for India as it seems, the Apple Vision Pro is highly unlikely to launch in the fastest growing smartphone market.
Nevertheless, this international launch marks a significant milestone, offering overseas consumers access to the Vision Pro through official channels, which may (or may not) boost sales which have continued to dry down in the US beyond the initial launch phase. Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned the headset during a recent earnings call but did not share any sales figures.
The Vision Pro is a rare feat of engineering but its size and heft have been a concern. Then there’s the exorbitant pricing which makes it hard to reach for many consumers. There is the off chance that the Apple Vision Pro could do well in China and Japan where virtual reality is not as niche as some of the other global markets.
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