Apple Vision Pro now expected to ship in March

AppleInsider

The Apple Vision Pro is still being worked on by Apple, but while initial plans were for a January launch, it seems more likely that the headset will ship in March instead.

Apple Vision Pro

Since its introduction at WWDC 2023, Apple offered a broad timeline for the release of the Apple Vision Pro. While it has maintained it will ship in early 2024 without narrowing down the timeframe, it seems that it could end up being later in the period, rather than earlier.

Writing in his "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman claims Apple is still dealing with important tasks related to the headset. Final device testing is apparently underway, but Apple is allegedly still working on plans to distribute the hardware.

Distribution of the Apple Vision Pro should be extremely limited, starting with a U.S. launch and a gradual rollout to other countries.

Since Apple wants to maintain control over the launch of a new platform for the company, it won't be making the headset available via third-party retailers. Instead, customers need to make appointments at Apple Stores or online to get one.

There's also the logistical problem of stocking many SKUs to cover variations in headbands and lenses to consider.

While the hardware is now aiming for a March release, software engineers were still working on the basis of a January launch. Apple's most recent visionOS developer beta has various onboarding assets included within it, which typically doesn't get included until very late in the beta testing and development process.



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lmasanti

In January 24th, 1984 —just 40 years ago—, Apple announced the Macintosh in the famous Super Bowl ad. Then, Apple released it in January 28th.

So… January will be Apple's greatest anniversary month. February —when the 2024 Super Bowl will take place— will be a relaxed month… and March's launch is ‘perfect.’

(I do remember that launch! I suppose lord William had not yet at the Mac's world by that time… almost all other AI's writers most probable were with their baby sitters!)

jkichline

They will take orders probably starting end of January and as the other commenter said, promote it in a Super Bowl ad for preorders. Doesn’t make sense to announce around the holidays and all the marketing noise. 

lordjohnwhorfin

January, March, I can’t wait. This has an insane potential for a bunch of apps that haven’t even been dreamed of yet. And for games… oh boy.

eriamjh

Apple would never piss money away on a Superbowl ad for anything.

They could release it as a superbowl ad to the internet, millions will watch it on youtube, then never show it during the superbowl or pay the fee and they'd get just as many eyeballs on it.

dutchlord

That’s too bad as the snow season starts already in January. I need new ski goggles earlier then March.

damn_its_hot

eriamjh said:

Apple would never piss money away on a Superbowl ad for anything.

They could release it as a superbowl ad to the internet, millions will watch it on youtube, then never show it during the superbowl or pay the fee and they'd get just as many eyeballs on it.

So am I to assume you think Steve just decided to “piss money away” on the Mac Superbowl ad? I’m sorry but I must disagree w/u. I worked @ Apple shortly after this and got a copy of that ad on VHS & when friends et al find out i have its always “can we watch it?” That’s an ad that just keeps on giving - most I think would agree that it’s money well spent!

Honkers

eriamjh said:

Apple would never piss money away on a Superbowl ad for anything.

Surely not serious?

Cesar Battistini Maziero

eriamjh said:

Apple would never piss money away on a Superbowl ad for anything.

They could release it as a superbowl ad to the internet, millions will watch it on youtube, then never show it during the superbowl or pay the fee and they'd get just as many eyeballs on it.

They did for the iPhone. 

blastdoor

I wonder if they will switch to M3… seems like this product would benefit most from using the latest process (3nm instead of 5nm).

Kierkegaarden

I don’t remember anyone saying it would be released in January.  First half of the year covers many months — a March/April event always made the most sense to me since it would have to be before WWDC.

mattinoz

blastdoor said:

I wonder if they will switch to M3… seems like this product would benefit most from using the latest process (3nm instead of 5nm).

Plus the GPU improvements of the M3 seem like they were made with Vision Pro in mind. 

Would be surprising with the timeframe if the shipping unit wasn't M3 even if the developer build units are M2 as shown on the Apple website. 

9secondkox2

Hopefully the VP finds enough customers. Can’t see it as a mainstream thing, but definitely the slickest headset. 

March timeframe is just right. 

Toortog

and by April everyone will be over it and back to talking about the next iPhone. 

eightzero

dutchlord said:

That’s too bad as the snow season starts already in January. I need new ski goggles earlier then March.

I don't get it. Just spend $10 and get them. Why wait?

eightzero

Gotta say I am still very curious about this product. I don't have a "need" for any such a thing, but I said the same of iPod, iPhone, and CarPlay. I will need to try it, particularly with the Rx lenses. 

9secondkox2

Toortog said:

and by April everyone will be over it and back to talking about the next iPhone. 

Kinda what I’m thinking. 

Apple seems to be forcing this. Really investing and pushing it as the next big thing when the market has sort of moved along. 

I think it will sell somewhat. But not in numbers that match Apple’s dogmatic bullishness. 

I think the “new and exciting” thing for the time being will be Apple’s continued silicon developments. There’s nothing like the hype and letdown (*ahem*M2*ahem*) of Apples M series developments. 

Gaming will likely be another injection of enthusiasm once Apple really commits. 

Watching video is great. Having to strap a large device to your noggin in order to view, not so much. 

The thing about Apple devices is that they pretty much disappear into your life on a daily basis from the Mac to the phone, the tablet, the watch, etc. can’t do that with a facehugger engulfing you. Once the VP is moved into a sunglasses form factor, then it’s something that can disappear into daily living as a compliment to your digital life. 

macintoshM1

The VP I expect will have an initial splash. With the developer community having grown so large and early adopters numbering in the low millions for practically any really cool new kit. Then similar to the iPad becomes a steady contributor to the user base and ecosystem. Not many things ever can have a path like a phone. The iPhone really was both a total departure from everything before it. And yet was also simply a device that everyone understood the use.case of a phone.  Even if you happened to be part of the  half of humanity that hadn’t  owned and possibly never  used a phone you understood it use and value. 

But a few years from now when manufacturing advances  do permit the form factor to become as benign as wearing a pair of glasses. The new paradigm of visual computing allow use cases few can imagine yet. 

The Mac didn’t just alter computing. It’s altered the world. The PowerBook 100 was so so limited but replaced lugging a Mac SE  around. It took surprisingly little time to evolve into the 230C  
The VP will be a multi Billion $  business. But the specific path towards transformation of computing is a guessing game. But I’m confident it will play a significant role in propelling Apple into a 10 trillion $ company. And I’m going to enjoy being along  watching 

jumpingcoco

Obviously the product has been extensively tested internally, Tim said he's finished watching the recent season of Ted Lasso on Vision Pro, I just hope this delay could help them fix all the issues related to mass production, I hope movie companies like Disney and gaming companies could use this time to roll out some kick-ass pieces. I can be a bit more patient for this revolutionary product.

Kierkegaarden

mattinoz said:

blastdoor said:

I wonder if they will switch to M3… seems like this product would benefit most from using the latest process (3nm instead of 5nm).

Plus the GPU improvements of the M3 seem like they were made with Vision Pro in mind. 

Would be surprising with the timeframe if the shipping unit wasn't M3 even if the developer build units are M2 as shown on the Apple website. 

Absolutely agree — announcing the device with an unreleased chip in June of this year would have been a mistake.  Even though there is another chip to complement the M, I would be shocked if they used an M2.

radarthekat

lmasanti said:

In January 24th, 1984 —just 40 years ago—, Apple announced the Macintosh in the famous Super Bowl ad. Then, Apple released it in January 28th.

So… January will be Apple's greatest anniversary month. February —when the 2024 Super Bowl will take place— will be a relaxed month… and March's launch is ‘perfect.’

(I do remember that launch! I suppose lord William had not yet at the Mac's world by that time… almost all other AI's writers most probable were with their baby sitters!)

Ah, if Apple could create a semi-live Super Bowl advertisement, showing during the halftime festivities what it would be like to watch a big play from the first half on Vision Pro.  That would be epic and would create tremendous buzz.