Those who purchased Apple’s Vision Pro augmented reality headset at its debut shelled out a considerable sum. Brand new in February, but still today in US stores that sell it, it requires a “cash” payment of almost $3,500. If you then buy any inserts for the lenses and add taxes, for the 256 GB model it exceeds $3,900. Here, if you have done so, we give you some advice: don’t look on eBay for how much Vision Pros are sold for by dissatisfied users, because the prices are very low. Finding out this fact could put you in a bad mood.
Some examples. A 1TB Vision Pro, complete with all the included gear, the $200 Apple soft travel case, $500 AppleCare Plus and the “worn maybe about an hour” label sold for $3,200 after a whopping 21 offers. The shipping estimate listed was $20.30. Brand new, that combination on the Apple Store costs $5,007.03 (source: Apple site in the United States). Another eBay listing: Apple Vision Pro 256 GB sold for $2,600 complete with essential accessories (case and so on). Also in this case, the price was reached after numerous raise offers. Several other 256GB and 512GB models have sold for around the same amount in recent days.
The story is no different on Swappa, a popular resale site among Apple users in the United States:
This is not unusual behavior for those approaching a new, very expensive technology, which is not yet mass-market and is undergoing evolutions while it is in the hands of consumers. Apple’s pricing doesn’t help matters, especially when you consider that the closest competing headset, the Meta Quest 3, costs just under 550 euros. It’s a shame that this phenomenon exists: the two headset technologies are not comparable but to take the first step into the world of mixed reality, Meta’s is better than Apple’s. Unless you have specific needs.
Apple Vision Pro is a fantastic product, nothing to object to, however between the downward sales estimates, the number of users who returned it to the Apple Stores within the legal terms of the right of withdrawal in the States and this collapse in the price of the used, perhaps we need to really consider what the future is for this type of device which, unfortunately and despite the bitten Apple, does not come into people’s interests. They intrigue them, yes, but then the longevity of use is very low and this is the real problem. They lack concrete utility.
