I'd argue not to sell more AirPods, I mean sure it's a great extra bonus, but what is the other option you would prefer? that they cover the ears completely like big studio headphones? That they give you a pair of AirPods? Or that they make tethered AirPods? Or Bone Conduction, which means audio quality typically plummets and complicates how the device rests on the cheekbones.

All of those are various compromises that also suck for various reasons.

What about people with hearing issues? Most of these alternatives are terrible for people that wear hearing aids.

You do not want a VR headset that requires headphones to operate. That's one more set of batteries to charge. It's one more thing to adjust when switching between users.

The Quest is the same as the AVP. Both have surprisingly good audio. The AVP's built-in audio does a great job. You need headphones if you want privacy, first and foremost. Certain headphones will also enable spatial audio and stuff like that.

But Apple's audio approach here is very sound. It's nothing like the huge upcharge for more storage.

OP here. What the sibling comment said. The built-in speakers are fantastic, and like many other Apple enthusiasts I own Airpods Pro already as well if I need isolation.

By all accounts the built-in speakers are amazing, but tbf not usable if you need privacy or to not annoy people sitting next to you.