Apple Inc.’s AAPL first-generation mixed reality headset, Vision Pro, has been making some waves, despite being panned by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and others, but some are worried about its high-price being a hurdle for the device's wide adoption.
What Happened: Apple CEO Tim Cook previously defended the high price of the Vision Pro during the company’s first quarter 2024 earnings call, saying that there’s an incredible amount of technology packed into the product. A new report has now shed more light on his statement.
The Vision Pro, which was released on Feb. 2, is equipped with state-of-the-art components, including a 1.25-inch Sony Semiconductor display, which is the most expensive part of the headset, reported CNBC, citing research firm Omdia's “bill of materials”.
See Also: Apple's $3,500 Vision Pro Headset Worth The Hype? Tech YouTuber MKBHD Weighs In
Each Vision Pro requires two of these displays, one for each eye, and Apple pays approximately $228 for each “Micro OLED” display. The Vision Pro’s displays are sharper than any competing headset and have more than 23 million total pixels, making them some of the densest displays ever built.
The second most expensive part in the Vision Pro is the company’s main processor, which includes Apple’s M2 chip, the same chip it uses in the MacBook Air, and the R1 chip, a custom processor to handle video feeds and other sensors on the device.
The base price for the Vision Pro is $3,499, but with additional storage and accessories like straps, the total expense can reach up to $4,500.
This premium headset incorporates numerous high-end components, with an estimated “bill of materials” by research firm Omdia pegged at $1,542. Notably, this estimation excludes expenses related to research and development, packaging, marketing, and Apple’s profit margin, the report noted.
Why It Matters: The Vision Pro’s high price has been a topic of discussion since its launch. Despite the initial excitement, some users have decided to return the $3,500 mixed-reality headset, citing various issues, including its cumbersome design and uncomfortable weight.
Earlier, Zuckerberg also weighed in on the Vision Pro, saying that Meta’s Quest 3 is not only better in terms of value but also as an overall product.
He said that people assumed that Vision Pro would be “higher quality” because it costs $3,000 more but he was “pretty surprised” that Quest is “much better for vast majority of things.”
However, in his review, Zuckerberg complimented Vision Pro's display saying, “Apple's screen does have a higher resolution and that's really nice.”
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth echoed Zuckerberg’s review, highlighting several issues with the Vision Pro, essentially dismissing the reports about Cupertino’s first-generation mixed-reality headset being technologically superior.
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