Apple's Vision Pro headset is on the brink of launch as retail stores are beginning final preparations for the device to go on sale, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the Vision Pro is now shipping in small quantities to warehouses across the United States ahead of direct distribution to Apple retail stores. While the company has not yet announced its release date, it apparently believes there will be sufficient stock ready in the country by the end of January to launch in February. Interestingly, Gurman expects Apple to make a Vision Pro-related announcement "in the next week or so" to "take some of the spotlight away from CES," which starts on Tuesday, January 9.
On January 21, all Apple Stores in the United States will hold an unusual three-hour long meeting for all employees that will likely involve training and explanation of the sales procedure related to the device. Further training sessions are apparently planned for the subsequent days, followed by the reception of new inventory racks and backroom equipment.
Gurman also noted that Luxshare, the Chinese assembler of the Vision Pro, held a delivery ceremony last month to mark the first official shipments of the completed product, and Apple has now purportedly filed design patents "for every hardware and software element of the device," which further suggests that launch is likely to be very soon.
It remains unclear whether the Vision Pro will be immediately available via online pre-order. Apple may initially only offer an online reservation for an appointment at an Apple Store that would involve light seal and headband fitting.
Gurman believes that the launch of Vision Pro in other countries around the world will not "actually be that much later" than its release in the United States. Apple is said to be considering the United Kingdom, Canada, and China as the next markets to receive the product.
