The computer glasses are said to cost $3,500 and provide completely new access to the group’s technologies.
(Photo: dpa)
Dusseldorf With its Vision Pro computer glasses, Apple has announced nothing less than a revolution in dealing with technology. But that is likely to be delayed: According to a report in the “Financial Times” (FT), the electronics manufacturer has significantly reduced its goals for the Vision Pro for the coming year. The reason: production problems.
Production of less than 400,000 units is expected for 2024, the newspaper wrote on Monday, citing two sources close to the electronics group and the contract manufacturer Luxshare.
In the case of two Chinese suppliers, it is only assumed that there will be 130,000 to 150,000 devices. Originally, Apple had set a sales target of one million copies for the first twelve months.
Apple calls the Vision Pro, announced in June, a “spatial computer.” The device, which looks like mirrored ski goggles on the outside, projects digital content into an image of the real environment, such as cinema films, video conferences or learning apps. Experts refer to the technology as extended or mixed reality. The product will cost $3,500 when it launches in the United States.
In order for the environment to become a screen, however, complex technology is required. The device has numerous sensors and cameras to capture the environment and an audio system that is intended to create surround sound.
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Two high-resolution displays with micro-OLED technology and another curved one on the outside for communication with the outside world are central to the presentation.
Difficulty with the screen
According to the “FT”, the screens in particular cause problems. Apple is not satisfied with the productivity of the suppliers, it said in the report. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) generate light themselves and therefore do not require backlighting, and they are also malleable. However, the production is demanding and the reject rate is considered high. The group did not comment on the report.
It’s not the only difficulty in launching the new product category. Apple expert Mark Gurman recently reported from the Bloomberg news agency that many components of the software are not yet stable. This applies, for example, to text input via a virtual keyboard, which the Vision OS operating system is intended to enable.
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The adaptation of iPad apps, which should be available via the computer glasses, is still taking time, Bloomberg reported. Since the device has now been publicly announced, the electronics manufacturer wants to involve “thousands of employees” in the development in order to solve the problems.
The market for extended reality products is currently small. The analyst firm Counterpoint Research expects global sales to increase to 105 million devices by 2025. For comparison: Last year alone, manufacturers sold a total of 1.2 billion smartphones.
Counterpoint analysts were convinced after the presentation that Apple will give the data glasses business a new boost. The great interest of consumers, which the group causes, will increase the sales of all devices – but not everyone can and wants to spend $ 3500.
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