April 30, 2026, 3:14 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
It’s rare for Apple to enter an entirely new market segment. When Vision Pro launched in early 2024, the demand for VR headsets and virtual worlds seemed to have a lot of potential. However, market leader Meta has since scrapped its Metaverse. Now, Apple also appears to be pulling the plug and signaling the end of Vision Pro.
Demand Falls Short of Expectations
At least that’s what “MacRumors” reports, citing insider sources. Apple’s Vision Pro received a lot of criticism, particularly for its high price of 3,699 euros and its considerable weight of 800 grams for a VR headset. Accordingly, sales numbers were low. Since its launch in 2024, around 600,000 units have been sold. This is only slightly more than the 500,000 units Apple had projected for the first year alone. For supply chain expert and outgoing CEO Tim Cook, this is an unusually poor result.
The technical upgrade at the end of 2025 also failed to boost demand. The new version features the significantly more powerful M5, 30 minutes more battery life, new displays with a 120-hertz refresh rate, and 10 percent more displayed pixels. The more comfortable Dual Knit Band was supposed to better distribute the unchanged weight. However, these improvements apparently aren’t enough to significantly increase interest in the device. According to the “Financial Times,” only 45,000 units were expected to be sold in the fourth quarter of 2025.
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Development Halted and Team Reassigned
According to “MacRumors,” Apple has halted further development of Vision Pro. The team responsible has been reassigned to other areas within the company. Some employees are now working on the voice assistant Siri.
These personnel changes are related to a previously known restructuring. Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell has been leading the Siri team since March 2025. Continuation of the current product line is not planned at this time.
Also of interest: What new devices does Apple have in the pipeline?
There were rumors of a cheaper and lighter model called Vision Air, but the project was already stopped last year. A return to the Vision Pro line is only considered possible if significant improvements in price and comfort can be achieved.
Focus on Smart Glasses
Instead of continuing to invest in mixed-reality headsets, Apple is shifting its focus to Smart Glasses. These are intended to offer augmented reality features in the long term. The plan is for an approach similar to the Meta Ray-Bans.
AI functions are at the forefront. The technology developed in Vision Pro is not being used, according to “MacRumors,” as it requires too much energy for smaller devices. Vision Pro remains on sale but apparently no longer plays a central role in the future product strategy.