Apple cuts Vision Pro production amid sales stall

Apple reportedly cuts the production of its Vision Pro, a device once heralded as the dawn of “spatial computing,” due to poor sales.

According to market intelligence from Sensor Tower, the Cupertino-based tech giant also slashed marketing for the $3,499 device by more than 95% last year.

While Apple has not released official figures, the International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates the company sold a meager 45,000 units in the final quarter of last year, showing Apple’s struggles with this product.

IDC further stated that Apple’s Chinese manufacturer, Luxshare, halted production entirely at the start of 2025, and direct sales have not expanded beyond a select 13 countries.

The apparent failure of the Vision Pro reflects the ill-fated launch of Google Glass in 2013, where users were shunned as social outcasts. Despite CEO Tim Cook’s initial promise that the device would turn surroundings into an “infinite canvas,” consumers balked at the astronomical price tag.

Reviewers have claimed that the headset was heavy, uncomfortable, and largely a gimmick, with alarm raised after users were filmed wearing them while driving.

The lack of software was also required. Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring noted that the “cost, form factor, and lack of VisionOS native apps” were key reasons the device never achieved mass appeal.

Currently, only 3,000 apps are available, a bit of the ecosystem that drove the iPhone’s success and yet shows limitations in what Apple can offer.

The industry focus is now shifting. Reports suggest Apple has paused the next iteration of its high-end VR hardware to prioritize AI-enabled wearable devices. This mirrors a move by Meta, which controls 80% of the market with its cheaper Quest headsets, but confirmed last month it is diverting investment toward AI glasses.

The Vision Pro represents a rare commercial misstep for Apple, despite the possibility of the company launching a more affordable headset later this year.