Apple Vision Pro Sales Collapse Forces Production Cuts

Apple has reportedly slashed production of its Vision Pro headset following disappointing sales figures, marking a significant retreat from the technology company’s ambitious spatial computing ambitions. The device, which carries a minimum price tag of £3,199, has failed to gain traction in consumer markets since its launch.

Market intelligence firm Sensor Tower has documented a dramatic reduction in marketing spend, with Apple cutting Vision Pro promotion by more than 95% during the past year. This withdrawal of promotional support signals management’s acknowledgement that the initial product strategy has not yielded expected returns.

Sales performance has been notably weak across all regions. International Data Corporation estimates Apple shifted merely 45,000 Vision Pro units during the final quarter of the previous year. Production partner Luxshare halted manufacturing operations at the start of 2025, whilst Apple has confined direct sales distribution to just 13 countries. These figures contrast sharply with Apple’s core business, where iPhone, iPad and laptop sales continue to generate millions of units quarterly.

Industry analysts attribute the commercial underperformance to multiple structural factors. Morgan Stanley technology analyst Erik Woodring identified three principal obstacles; the premium pricing structure, the device’s physical form factor and the limited ecosystem of native applications. Apple currently offers approximately 3,000 apps for Vision Pro, a figure substantially smaller than the application library that drove iPhone adoption following its 2007 introduction.

Consumer reception has been hampered by practical concerns regarding comfort and social acceptability. Early users reported the headsets feel heavy and cumbersome during extended use. Safety incidents involving Vision Pro users operating vehicles have generated public concern. Reviewers have characterised the device as offering niche appeal with an inherently isolating user experience that distances wearers from conventional social interaction.

Apple’s strategic pivot now emphasises artificial intelligence wearables rather than virtual reality expansion. The company has reportedly paused development of advanced Vision Pro iterations to redirect resources toward AI-enabled devices. This repositioning mirrors Meta’s decision to reduce metaverse investment and prioritise AI glasses development, though Meta’s cheaper Quest headsets have captured 80% of the virtual reality market despite their inferior technical specifications.

The Vision Pro setback represents an uncommon commercial failure for Apple, whose Chief Executive Tim Cook had positioned spatial computing as the company’s next transformative technology category. The apparent abandonment of this strategic direction, whether temporary or permanent, reflects the reality that premium pricing and technological sophistication cannot overcome fundamental questions of practical utility and consumer demand.