Since the iPod, Apple seems to have the Midas touch with new products. From the iPhone to the iPad to its own chips, Apple has released all kinds of devices that have achieved overwhelming popularity. However, one that hasn't caught on as quickly as the company might have hoped is the Vision Pro. Sure, Apple has released upgraded models and kept it alive, but it's seen only mixed success.
Now, a new report from the Financial Times says Apple has scaled back manufacturing and marketing for its Vision Pro headset throughout 2025, indicating that sales aren't on fire as the company likely hoped. Based on the report, Apple cut its Vision Pro marketing budget by as much as 95%.
Apple Vision Pro — what went wrong?
Apple hasn't officially revealed sales figures from the Vision Pro. The company also declined to comment on this report to the Financial Times, which only adds fuel to the fire.
The Vision Pro is a massive financial ask for consumers at $3,499. With the economy the way it is, a purchase like that, which most would consider unnecessary, doesn't make much sense.
That leaves Apple with a much smaller potential buyer pool of only the most die-hard fans and wealthier consumers who can drop that much money without it being a big issue.
With factors like these, IDC expects Apple to ship around 45,000 new Vision Pro units in the last quarter of 2025. Compared with Apple's other devices, this is just a drop in the bucket and not enough hardware to move the needle.
While we liked Apple Vision Pro M5 in our review, we weren't completely sold on it. Even with the improved design and power improvements, many have cited the device as being heavy and uncomfortable. Relatively low battery life has also held it back for many. Other factors like the same-old Siri and a lack of top apps have further kept the review scores down.
The deck certainly seems stacked against Apple's headset, with Meta's virtual reality headsets dominating the market at a lower price. Even Zuckerberg is reducing marketing spend, though, as demand for VR headsets fell by 14% year on year.
Apple may not be ready to give up on the Vision Pro yet, but it's clear the company is shifting priorities as consumers show more interest in the best smart glasses than mixed reality headsets. For Apple's sake, the latest rumors suggest the company is planning to launch its own AI-powered glasses toward the end of 2026, putting it more in line with consumer demands.
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