Apple Vision Pro pre-order boom! About 180000 units of AR/VR headsets sold in big surprise

The mixed-reality headset market is rumored to add another member to the list called the Huawei Vision, as the former Chinese giant is said to take on the Apple Vision Pro with a future launch. To raise the bar and get more customers interested in picking up this head-mounted wearable, the rumor claims that there will be some similarities between the two products, but the Huawei Vision is not only said to be significantly lighter but sport half the price of the Apple Vision Pro.

With thousands of preorders for the Vision Pro rolling in, many consumers are curious about Apple’s AR/VR headset and the apps that will arrive alongside the new device. While some are from companies you recognize — Disney+, Max, TikTok, Zoom, Reddit and others — there are plenty of independent developers launching visionOS-optimized apps on Friday. So far, more than 600 apps and games have been designed for the Apple Vision Pro, Apple said earlier this week.

In 2000, Paradox Press published “Reinventing Comics: How Imagination and Technology Are Revolutionizing an Art Form.” The book was Scott McCloud’s follow-up to his seminal 1993 work, “Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.” Where the earlier title explored the history and visual language of sequential art, the second volume finds the medium at a crossroads. The turn of the millennium presented new technologies that threatened to upend print media.

The Apple Vision Pro has hit the world and the internet by storm, merging our reality with a Black Mirror episode. Those keen to get their hands on one in the UK will need to know when it releases for sale.

A pilot named Chris Clarke has stirred up a storm on the internet after a video surfaced showing him allegedly flying a light aircraft while wearing Apple Vision Pro. The video, posted on X, has garnered over 5.6 million views since Tuesday, accompanied by a cautionary Community Note. In the footage, Clarke is seen using the Apple Vision Pro, manipulating windows and interacting with visionOS while also handling the plane's controls. This incident adds to a series of viral videos involving the Apple Vision Pro since its release, including one where a driver used it while operating a Tesla on Autopilot, drawing attention from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

Months after Apple announced the Vision Pro mixed reality headset, the device is nearly here. It launches on Feb. 2, and you can pre-order it now for $3,499.99. That’s the cost of 9 Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth collector’s editions, or nearly just as many PlayStation 5 consoles.

Pre-orders of the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro commenced last week, and with three storage variants available at different pricing tiers, there were a few options that customers could choose from. Now, one analyst estimates that the AR headset was a phenomenal hit, reaching up to 180,000 units, but that does not necessarily mean that the same momentum will be carried out through the year, as several factors will determine the device's success.

Apple Inc., which is poised to launch its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset on Feb. 2, is already envisioning future workplace applications for the device, including using it for surgery, aircraft repair and teaching students. 

Maxing out the Apple Vision Pro will cost upward of $5,000. This prohibitive figure represents the total price of the most expensive model of Apple's mixed reality headset and one of each of its accessories.

Google's YouTube and Spotify Technology SA, the world's most popular video and music services, are joining Netflix Inc. in steering clear of Apple Inc.'s upcoming mixed-reality headset.

Apple Inc.'s long-awaited Vision Pro mixed-reality headset finally became available for preorders on Friday, giving the company its first real taste of consumer demand for the $3,499 device. With the launch, the company disclosed two additional configurations: a version with 512 gigabytes of storage for $3,699, and a top-end model with 1 terabyte of space for $3,899. The base model includes 256 gigabytes of storage. The company also said it would sell a carrying case for $199 and additional batteries for $199, while extra bands will cost $99 a piece. 

The Apple Vision Pro is priced at $3,499, so it is likely that out of the initial estimated 60,000 to 80,000 units that make up the first batch, the majority of buyers will take advantage of the Apple Card to facilitate payments through installments. After all, undertaking an expensive purchase such as this is not feasible for everyone, and the mixed-reality headset has caught the attention of the masses, so it is natural for them to be lured into trying out the device. In the end, Goldman Sachs should be pleased with the outcome, as Apple Card loans are expected to reach $1 billion thanks to the upcoming launch.