Apple has halted the development of the Vision Pro headset due to weak sales and high return rates. This decision was made according to sources reported by MacRumors. Following last year's M5 processor update, this decision did not significantly boost sales. The product, launched in 2024 at a price of $3,499, reportedly sold only a few hundred thousand units in total, with less than 100,000 units shipped each month throughout the year.

Production had already been reduced before the initial launch, and Apple ceased production of the original version by the end of 2024. The device was refreshed with M5 silicon, offering higher refresh rates and a slight increase in pixel density. However, this update could not reverse the decline in sales.

Why Did Apple Vision Pro Fail?

The most common complaints about the device are related to physical discomfort. The headset weighs approximately 1.4 pounds, and users have reported eye strain and discomfort after one to two hours of use. Other criticisms include the lack of physical controls, a virtual keyboard that is not very precise for productivity tasks, and the social challenges of wearing the device in public spaces.

The return rate for the Vision Pro is reported to be higher than that of other Apple products in the company's history.

Poor app selection also contributed to low user engagement. The Vision Pro offered impressive versions of iOS apps, 3D video clips, streaming content, and a limited number of games, but no single use case stood out that provided a compelling reason to purchase given its price.

What Are Apple’s Plans After Vision Pro?

Apple's AR developers are reportedly shifting to other projects. It appears that a Vision Air device, expected to be lighter and priced about 50% lower by 2027, has been removed from the roadmap.

Instead, Apple is now working on AR glasses in response to Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses series. Samsung launched the Galaxy XR headset at a price of $1,800 at the end of last year, positioning it as a lower-cost alternative running on Android.

Apple has not made any public comments regarding the future of the Vision Pro.