Weak sales have led Apple to scale back production of the Vision Pro headset, which was initially envisioned to usher in a new era of "spatial computing." Additionally, Sensor Tower data, first shared by the Financial Times, reveals that the tech giant slashed its marketing efforts for Vision Pro by over 95% last year.
Apple consistently sells millions of iPhones, iPads, and laptops every quarter, yet analysts report that the sales of Vision Pro headsets, priced at a minimum of £3,199 ($3,499), have been slow. Although Apple has not disclosed sales numbers for the headset, the market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that only 45,000 units were sold in the final quarter of last year.
IDC said Apple’s Chinese producer, Luxshare, had stopped production of the headset at the start of 2025, and Apple has not expanded direct sales beyond a select 13 countries. Counterpoint Research has predicted a 14% reduction in annual sales of virtual reality headsets.
Apple has paused its next virtual reality iteration to focus on wearable AI devices, while Meta is scaling back its "metaverse" plans, including its Quest headsets. Despite being less advanced, Quest headsets are cheaper and dominate 80% of the market. Meta recently confirmed it’s shifting investments toward AI glasses, while Apple has not commented on reducing its VR efforts. If true, cuts to Vision Pro would mark a rare failure for the company, which had hoped the headset would revolutionize "spatial computing."
Meta confirmed last month that it was “shifting some of our investments from metaverse towards AI glasses and other wearables”. Apple has refused to comment on the reports that it is scaling back virtual reality headsets. If confirmed, the cuts to Vision Pro would represent a rare commercial flop for an Apple product.
Apple has reportedly reduced production of its Vision Pro headset following disappointing sales. Initially launched to usher in a new era of "spatial computing," the device has struggled to gain traction, with reports suggesting sales of only 45,000 units in the last quarter of 2025. Marketing for the device was also slashed by over 95%. Analysts point to the high price tag, limited app availability, and its niche appeal as key factors behind the slow uptake. Apple is now focusing on AI-enabled wearables, with plans for a cheaper Vision Pro version in the future.
