Bloomberg today released a report describing some of the planning going on in the Apple retail division to prepare for the launch of the Apple Vision Pro headset, previously announced as available in the US “early next year.”
The report says that — at least out the gate — Vision Pro will only be purchasable by appointment. Apple retail workers will help ensure customers get a Vision Pro with an appropriately fitting headband and light seal. It will represent the most logistically complex rollout ever for an Apple product.
Appointments will be required for retail purchases. Apple will section off a special area of the store to support the headset demos and necessary sizing tools to help select the right headset and accessories for the buyer. The device will be available to buy at all of Apple’s US retail stores eventually, but the initial plans are focusing on preparations for major areas like New York and Los Angeles.
Much of the logistical complexity is a product of how many variations of accessories will exist. Apple will offer many different sizes of head bands and light seals. As well as purchasable stock, stores will also need to maintain a vast inventory of ‘try-on stock’ and spares if customers wants to buy more than one per headset. Similarly, Apple stores will need to keep a stock of the prescription lenses, manufactured by Carl Zeiss. Bloomberg says Apple retail locations may need hundreds or thousands of lenses in stock at any one time.
Another accessory, the top strap is apparently still in development, and aimed at improving comfort for users with smaller head sizes. To accommodate all kinds of clothing, Apple is also exploring partnering with accessory makers to make pouches for the external battery pack:
Apple has also investigated how the Vision Pro would fit for people wearing cultural apparel, such as a hijab. Aware that some customers may not wear clothes with pockets capable of storing the battery pack, the company has considered asking accessory makers to create shoulder-worn pouches.
Top comment by Ian Grant
"and provide any eye prescription"
Yeah, that's not gonna happen! For unusual prescriptions, sure... maybe. But for "everyday" prescriptions? Who's going to go to the optometrist (optician in the UK) to get that prescription? Especially as that won't be covered by any insurance.
If Apple told me I'd need to go my optometrist to get a new prescription in order to buy a headset, I'd have to wait awhile (the practice I go to is very good, but also very busy) and pay at least $300 or $400. So, no, that's not going to happen.
And, despite the cost, they're selling into a market that often sees a $3,500 purchase as something that can be done on a whim. Heck, they're playing in a market that sees buying a $500,000 car as no big deal!
What they're going to have to do is figure out how to get a prescription from someone's glasses. And they're also going to have to address changing those lens over time, as people's eyes change. (That can happen a lot when you hit your late 50's into your 60's.)
These factors make it even harder to imagine how Apple will deploy Vision Pro outside of Apple Stores. The report says Apple does not anticipate selling Vision Pro in third-party retail locations at least until 2025.
Customers will also be able to buy online. Apple is developing a face scanning app that will help users pick the right size of light seal for their face. As part of the checkout flow, users will be asked to upload their face scan result and provide any eye prescription, if the customer normally wears glasses and will need corrective vision insert lenses in order to use the headset.
At launch, Vision Pro will be exclusive to the United States. Apple has promised it will expand to additional countries before the end of 2024. Bloomberg says likely first candidates for expansion are Canada and the UK, followed by Europe and Asia.
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