Apple slashes sales target for its new MR headset: Sources

Apple Inc.’s mixed-reality (MR) headset [Photo provided by Apple]

Apple Inc. is known to have lowered its sales target for the new mixed-reality (MR) headsets to 150,000 units, considerably down from over 1 million units as projected by the investors.

According to multiple parts makers in Silicon Valley on Tuesday, local time, U.S. tech giant Apple has made an order for only 150,000 units of its new MR headset, Vision Pro, before announcing the product.

An industry insider noted that people were surprised as the initially discussed volume of 1 million units was reduced to 300,000 units, and then to 150,000 units nearing the announcement.

“More purchase orders can be placed after selling all of the 150,000 units and monitoring the progress but we are not sure whether the company will increase the sales target because parts are usually purchased in advance,” the insider said.

Apple’s purchase order, furthermore, is not based on annual sales but the product life cycle.

Apple will begin the sales of MR headsets next year after mass production this year.

On Wednesday, Apple did not respond to Maeil Business Newspaper’s inquiry regarding the sales target.

Vision Pro, an ultra-expensive MR headset equipped with five sensors and 12 cameras, was unveiled by Apple’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook on Tuesday at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

It is the first hardware introduced by Apple since the AirPods in 2016. Doubts persist whether it will gain much popularity as the price starts at $3,499.