Apple's mixed-reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, is facing a tough market. Production partner Luxshare stopped production in early 2025, and only 45,000 units were shipped during the holiday quarter — down from 390,000 units in its 2024 launch year.
At $3,499 USD and only available in 13 countries, the Vision Pro remained at the level of early adopters. Many reviewers and users complained about the bulky design, short battery life, and limited app ecosystem that didn't live up to the promise of "spatial computing."
Marketing efforts have also fallen. Data from Sensor Tower shows that Apple reduced digital ad spend by more than 95% in key markets like the U.S. and the U.K. in 2025, following a strong marketing rollout in 2024.
Meta’s cheaper Quest lineup now controls nearly 80% of the VR market, and the entire headset category is down 14% year-on-year. This is why Apple is pivoting to the cheaper Vision model and AI-driven smart glasses for the future.
Analysts say the Vision Pro is a rare miss for Apple, but according to the company, its goal is to redefine interfaces as a "revolutionary spatial computer," not to immediately replace the iPhone.
