Apple's Vision Pro to Become Available In U.S. Feb. 2 -- Update

By Ben Glickman

Apple's new mixed-reality headset will become available in the U.S. starting Feb. 2, setting the stage for the company's premium-priced offering to compete in a crowded market.

The tech giant's Vision Pro headset, initially unveiled in June, will be available for pre-sale Jan. 19. It represents Apple's first major new product in years.

The company said the Vision Pro would sell for $3,499 and would be available at all U.S. Apple Store locations and in the U.S. online Apple Store.

Apple faces rival virtual or mixed-reality offerings from Meta Platforms, TikTok owner ByteDance, Samsung Electronics and Sony. Other offerings, including Meta's Quest, retail for less than $500.

The headset will go on sale as Apple faces a crunch on revenue. The company's sales fell for the fourth consecutive period in its latest fiscal quarter, brought down by a decline in China amid an economic slowdown and heightened competition.

Apple is also grappling with a potential pause on sales of its smartwatches, following a ban by U.S. trade regulators due to alleged patent violations. The ban was temporarily lifted by a U.S. court last month as it considers Apple's request for a permanent stay.

Apple said the Vision Pro will allow users to experience virtual reality with three-dimensional app interfaces. The company said Vision Pro would come with a new app store, which will feature applications with "spacial computing experiences."

The company said apps from its other operating systems will automatically work with the new input system.

Write to Ben Glickman at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 08, 2024 10:09 ET (15:09 GMT)

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