According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is apparently getting ready to introduce its $3,499 Vision Pro outside of the United States for the first time. The mixed reality headset is anticipated to go on sale internationally soon after the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference early in the following month.
Gurman said on Monday that Apple has flown “hundreds of employees from its international stores” to Cupertino, California, to display the device. Training sessions apparently began last week, with courses lasting up to four days, according to Gurman’s sources.
Apple personnel from Germany, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and China are undergoing training, but the company has yet to reveal where the Vision Pro will be launched. Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously stated that the headset will be available in China sometime in 2024. Other reports cited by Bloomberg have stated that Apple may prioritize launching in the United Kingdom and Canada, yet these regions are noticeably absent here.
Some US Apple stores are reportedly only selling a couple of Vision Pro units per week
Regardless, this launch will be the first opportunity for global buyers to acquire the Vision Pro through official channels, potentially giving the device a sales boost. While Apple has not disclosed how many Vision Pros have been sold, Bloomberg reports that certain US Apple stores are only selling a few devices per week, and resellers in places such as Hong Kong are pricing the device below its retail price.
The Vision Pro’s broad appeal is hampered by a restricted selection of apps and an exorbitant price, but it may perform better in nations such as China and Japan, where virtual reality technology is less specialized.
The current employee training appears to be similar to what US-based Apple employees received in preparation for the US launch, which means that international consumers may be faced with an approximately 20-minute spiel if they request a product demo. It’s unclear whether abroad consumers will be needed to schedule demos, as reservations in the United States have “declined significantly,” according to Bloomberg – assuming customers show up at all.
