Report: Apple Vision Pro Set for May Launch in China, Potential Rebranding in the Works
Early Arrival: Apple’s Vision Pro Eyed for April Launch in China
Following its recent launch, the Apple Vision Pro has already made waves, with sales reportedly surpassing 200,000 units even before hitting retail shelves. Marking Apple’s foray into a new product category since the debut of the first Apple Watch nearly a decade ago, the Vision Pro is currently exclusively available in the US. However, Apple has its sights set on broader international distribution, with plans to bring the device to markets including China, Canada, and the UK in the near future.
Recent reports suggest that the Chinese market might be the next stop on the Vision Pro’s journey. According to IT Home, referencing insights from Asian outlet Wall Street News, the anticipated headset could land in China as early as April, or at the latest, by May. Supply chain sources hint at an imminent completion of the device’s registration process with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. These sources also indicate that initial sales of the headset in China are expected to be “relatively tight.”
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had previously indicated that following its US launch, the Apple Vision Pro would progressively roll out to international markets, including China, Canada, and the UK. Apple, headquartered in Cupertino, California, reportedly aims to ship 500,000 units of the Vision Pro by the end of 2024, indicating ambitious plans for its entry into the mixed reality space.
The China launch of the AR/VR headset, however, might not be free of a few complications. The IT Home report also claims that Chinese technology giant Huawei owns the ‘Vision Pro’ trademark in the country, which would mean that Apple might have to debut its headset there with a different name. Reports early into the development of the headset had said that Apple might call its device ‘Reality Pro.’ That branding could reportedly be used in China.
Notably, Huawei is also believed to be working on its own VR headset to compete with the Apple Vision Pro. The company’s product could launch in China later this year. Huawei has also been chewing into Apple’s market share in the smartphone segment in China, with the company’s phones becoming popular options as iPhone 15 suffers slowing demand.
