Apple Vision Pro Experiences Production Reductions Due to Declining Sales

Apple reduces headset production and advertising expenditure while focussing on more affordable Vision hardware and forthcoming AI smart glasses.

Apple's highly anticipated Vision Pro is facing a stark reality assessment. Numerous reports indicate that Apple’s Chinese partner Luxshare ceased production in early 2025, with just approximately 45,000 units supplied during the pivotal 2025 holiday quarter, compared to 390,000 units in the 2024 launch year.

Priced at $3,499 USD and officially available in only 13 countries, the headset is confined to early-adopter status. Critics and users highlighted the cumbersome, front-heavy design, limited battery longevity, and an underdeveloped application environment that failed to fulfil the expectations of "spatial computing." Marketing amplifies the narrative significantly. Sensor Tower data indicates that Apple reduced digital advertising expenditure for Vision Pro by over 95% in major markets in 2025, a stark contrast to the extensive promotion that surrounded its 2024 launch.

Meta's more affordable Quest series currently commands over 80% of the virtual reality industry, while the whole headset sector has reportedly contracted by 14% year-over-year. This situation compels Apple to develop a new platform amidst a declining market segment.

Analysts characterise Vision Pro as an uncommon failure for a firm accustomed to iPhone-level magnitude; nonetheless, Apple's viewpoint has consistently diverged. From the outset, the official narrative presented Vision Pro as a “revolutionary spatial computer” intended to transform interfaces rather than immediately supplant the iPhone.

Apple is currently undergoing a strategic shift. Discussions within the supply chain and recent reports indicate the development of a more economical Vision model, an intensified focus on AI-enhanced smart glasses, and a strategic approach wherein the current imperfect headset serves merely as a development kit for future advancements in face-computing technology.