Apple Vision Pro May Now Be Out of Production

The lower cost successor mentioned in the article is rumored to be aiming for ~$2000, and I honestly can't see there being that many people who wouldn't pay $3500 for Apple Vision but would pay $2000 for it. That's still just too much money for a platform with no killer apps yet, and the way the hype around the first generation fell off a cliff once it was actually in the wild is only going to make the second generation even harder to sell. When's the last time you heard anyone mention using a Vision Pro?

I recently demoed one and the immersive feel is insanely realistic. I was blown away. At the same time, I’m not sure how I’d use it. I had hoped it could allow having a multi-screen virtual desktop anywhere. It could, sort of. But there is enough input lag to make a power user frustrated. And after 30 minutes I was tired of wearing it. I hope they keep working on it, though. Version 3 or 4 could be when it really takes off…

I'd be careful not to read certain conclusions into a headline like this. It's phrased to be misinterpreted as clickbait. Designers often order a run of units up front. Making consumer electronics essentially means renting space and labor from a Foxconn mega-factory. If an assembly line stays in continuous production, it means they can barely keep up with demand. That would be ideal, but it's not the norm. More often, the designer orders x units by y date and accepts early delivery. The mega-factory makes them as fast as possible, so they can squeeze more contracts in. When the run is complete, they crate up the customer owned molds and tooling, spin up another customers assembly line, and start on a run of units from that other customer. Meanwhile, Best Buy continues to sell said product as brand new for years, despite coming from a storage warehouse. Then, if they run out and need another run of units, they spin the old assembly line back up. It doesn't mean the product will flop if they suspend production after the first run finishes - it's just how manufacturing often works. If sales are poor and the initial run takes longer than projected to sell (and maybe it is), then maybe can call it a flop. But you'd be surprised how many products you buy, thinking they're the latest cutting edge thing, which are "out of production". Its a reality the marketing teams do not want leaked to fickle customers.

No surprise. I called failure the moment they announced the price and features, as did most other people.

Stupid price tag, did absolutely nothing new, and they didn't learn from the mistakes and downsides of all the other VR headsets, and made them worse in some cases.

Then to top it all off, they had the genius idea of putting on that dumb front screen that displayed your face, but at 96% actual size. I still have no idea how something that stupid made it to release.

Here's my prediction for Apple's (everyone's) next VR set:

- It will still weigh too damned much. No one currently likes the feeling of having a cinder block strapped to their face. No one will like it in the next product because it will also weigh too damned much. Here's a hint: move compute and battery to a stronger appendage than someone's nose. Now introducing the new Apple ComputeScarf™! Compute pack on the left, battery pack on the right. Short cable from the shoulder to the Vision glasses and these things have instantly become much more usable. Or even a ComputeBelt™.

- It will still have no software or any compelling reason to use it.

- Apple will still give it stupid pricing. $2k is too much. $1500 is too much. $1000 is too much. These things are $500 devices. Price them accordingly, or people will continue to ignore them.

If you're still on the fence whether AR/VR will ever take off, and haven't tried it in a while (or ever), take some time this year to try the Quest 3 ($499). Latency is great, the headset is comfortable enough (with a halo strap), and the apps are getting there.

Content is really what is going to make or break these platforms, and I don't fully understand why Apple and Meta aren't pouring money into a new title release every month or two.

Put all the compute and battery into a celtic torque around your neck and light weight raybans with full immersion on your face for a $1000 package and they'll capture the market.

Meanwhile, another Apple-focused publication 9to5Mac, just chose Apple Vision Pro as Apple's product of the year: https://9to5mac.com/2024/12/30/9to5mac-product-of-the-year-a...

Jailbreak visionOS to unlock new use cases, warehouse parts until written off, or donate Vision Pros to university labs for research?

> In October, The Information's Wayne Ma reported that Apple had abruptly reduced production of the Vision Pro headset ahead of potential plans to stop making the current version of the device completely by the end of 2024. With the year now coming to an end, this means that the device may no longer be in active production.

lmao great article

"in October this other article made a prediction about what would happen in three months. Well, it's three months later now, maybe that prediction came true? We don't know"

> tens of thousands of undelivered parts

Never to be released at realistic prices

I first tried AVP in May and it was amazing! I was really frustrated by the price tag and so I ended up returning it. Fast forward to October and I found AVP for $3,000! I bought it and have never been happier. I use it every day for programming. The new visionOS that added the support for ultra-wide screen is insane! It keeps me in the flow and makes me more productive.

It's so difficult to switch back to just coding on my 16" MBP.

I really hope the product line doesn't die out and they keep iterating and lowering the price. What a stupid move, in the middle of high inflation and possible financial crisis, they launch the most expensive product ever...smh

If Cook was Jobs, and 2025 was 2035, it would have jacked into the nervous system. Why release semi-lame product when you can do the ultimate experience?