Apple’s ambitious Vision Pro mixed-reality headset — launched with hopes of pioneering “spatial computing” — has reportedly faced weak consumer demand, prompting the company to significantly cut production and marketing. After high expectations and a premium price tag, the device’s slow sales have led Apple to rethink its strategy for this hardware category.
Production Cuts and Marketing Pullback
Industry reports indicate Apple substantially reduced production of the Vision Pro throughout 2025 after disappointing sales performance. Its manufacturing partner reportedly halted production early in the year, and promotional spending on the headset was slashed by more than 95% as part of scaling back efforts. Marketing support that once helped drive awareness for the device essentially disappeared, suggesting Apple is de-prioritising this product line.
Sales Performance Below Expectations
Estimates from research groups suggest the Vision Pro sold only about 45,000 units in the final quarter of 2025, a steep departure from Apple’s usual product performance. By comparison, Apple’s core business — including iPhones, iPads and Macs — routinely sees millions of units sold each quarter, underscoring how niche the Vision Pro has been on the consumer side.
The headset’s price of $3,499 (approximately ₹3.15 lakh) places it well above many competing mixed-reality and virtual reality devices, limiting its appeal to a small segment of wealthy and early-adopter buyers. Apple has also restricted its availability to around 13 markets worldwide, a factor analysts say has further constrained adoption.
Factors Behind Weak Demand
Several reasons are cited for the tepid market response:
- High cost: The premium price is seen as a barrier for mainstream buyers.
- Bulky design: Comfort and wearability concerns have deterred extended use.
- Limited native apps: A sparse app ecosystem has slowed user engagement.
- Niche appeal: Many consumers find few compelling everyday use cases.
These issues have made it difficult for the Vision Pro to gain traction beyond early enthusiast circles.
Broader Market Trends
The Vision Pro’s challenges also come as the broader AR/VR market sees weakening demand, with some research suggesting headset shipments declined overall in 2025. Competitors offering lower-cost hardware have captured larger portions of consumer interest, further shrinking the potential audience for high-end mixed-reality devices.
Apple’s Future Direction
Despite the setbacks, there are indications Apple may pivot toward other consumer devices, such as AI-enabled wearables or more affordable mixed-reality models in the future, though details remain unconfirmed. The company continues to invest in emerging hardware categories, but the Vision Pro experience highlights the difficulty of turning cutting-edge tech into mass-market products.
Conclusion
Apple’s reported cutbacks in Vision Pro production and marketing reflect a clear response to weaker-than-expected sales in 2025. With only tens of thousands of units moving in key quarters and high costs limiting adoption, the headset has struggled to become a mainstream success. As Apple recalibrates, this episode offers an important lesson about balancing innovation with consumer demand in emerging tech categories.
