Kuo: Apple Vision Pro to Launch Internationally Before WWDC 2024
Apple is likely to launch its Vision Pro headset outside the United States before WWDC 2024, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reports.
In a new post on Medium, Kuo said that Apple plans to share new details about visionOS with developers from around the globe at its 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). To make this push toward global developers worthwhile, Apple needs to make the Vision Pro available in non-U.S. markets before the event. Making the headset available internationally before WWDC would apparently enable Apple to promote a "global development ecosystem" for visionOS.
Kuo explained that Apple's reasoning for keeping sales of the Vision Pro exclusive to the United States at first is due to limited supply, a wish to ensure that the sales process goes smoothly before expanding it, and to provide time to modify its software to be suitable for other countries. Once these issues have been resolved, Kuo believes the Vision Pro will go on sale in more countries.
Apple has hosted WWDC in early June every year since 2007, so it is highly likely to fall at the same time again this year. Earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said 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.
It is not clear how much supply will be available in the rest of the world by the time the Vision Pro goes on sale outside the United States. With only 80,000 units expected to be available upon launch in the U.S., the headset is expected to sell out quickly and thereafter be subject to long shipping delays.
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Top Rated Comments
Furthermore, conceptually, you and a buddy across the country somewhere could BOTH VR-attend a game and sit side by side, even if your actual bods are both quite distant from where the game is being played. If you can have vr-business meetings where people from around the world get the illusion of meeting in a room to sit together, talk business, etc... the same can be done in any other setting too... such as courtside at a big game or concert.
The linked video IS a VR video. You can click & hold on it and then drag it around to look in different directions: up, down, left, right & behind... just like you are there and rotating your head and eyes around to look wherever you want to look. In Vpro, you will just look in whatever direction you want to see what is "there." Want a quick look at the scoreboard? Look up there. Want to see who's sitting over to your far left right now? Look over there.
I foresee this as a desirable service for many who can't actually attend every game and/or can't afford to buy the actual courtside seats at every game (which can get anywhere from a few thousand to more than $40K per game). Imagine NFL-ST-VR, March Madness VR, NBA League Pass VR, MLB-VR, Soccer, NCAA everything, Tennis, Golf, NHL, Olympics, etc... along with all concerts/shows/etc interested in making extra money beyond selling only a single seat to one body. Recall this that just rolled through theaters to further capitalize on a live concert for all those people who were not necessarily able to attend the live show or afford it ('https://nypost.com/2023/03/15/how-much-are-taylor-swift-ticket-prices-ahead-of-tour-kickoff/')...
Taylor Swift Inc made a whole lot of money ('https://www.statista.com/statistics/1418743/box-office-revenue-taylor-swift-eras-tour-concert-movie-region-worlwide/#:~:text=As%20of%20January%2010%2C%202024%2C%20the%20concert%20movie,180%20million%20dollars%20domestically%20during%20its%20release%20weekend.') that might not have been able to be made by only offering the live concert on its own. The huge numbers that paid to virtually attend that live concert in a movie theater PPV enjoyed a 2D screen experience. The same could be a 3D Vpro experience creating a deeper illusion like one is actually at the live event in person. Would some of her fans pay extra for that deeper experience? Seems likely.
Now imagine all of the OTHER concerts/shows/plays/events that could opt to do the same. Think PPV Fathom Event-type shows ('https://www.fathomevents.com/events/?fwp_events_genres=2248') with this added way of experiencing them. Many people would still go for the MAX sensory experience of paying up huge for tickets to the live show. Some will pay for the special event through Fathom and similar. Others may wait for it to eventually be something they can watch via some streaming package or disc on their television. But then there's also this "new" middle ground option that falls short of actually being there but superior to watching on any 2D cinema or tv screen. Will some be willing to pay for that? Seems likely.
Vpro can do this if those who put on such shows/events are interested. And why would they be? Sell a single seat for $5K-$10K (to $40K) to a single real bod or sell that same seat to maybe 3,000 people for $100. Do the math. Does this mean stadiums, etc would be empty because everyone would go VR? Of course not! Being there in person has many added dimensions vs. virtually attending. However, the illusion of seeming to be there should be superior to watching on a flat 2D screen for those who would very obviously pay more than what they pay to watch various things on a 2D screen via packages like NFL-ST and similar.
I see such offerings coming. The extremist pessimists will of course make it sound like this is impossible, will never happen, etc but click the above NBA video and look around at a game in VR. That was shot over FIVE years ago with relatively cheap equipment. It's quite doable as a Vpro service if the various parties are willing... and interested in carving out a new stream of cash for live events above basic television but not quite being there in person: a new tier above basic PPV where people readily spend upwards of $50-$200+ per event. There's plenty of profitable revenue in that in-between, niche market. VR-PPV. VR-Season Passes. VR-Season Shows. Etc.
Does this kill watching a game on television? Of course not. There will still be much desire in several people gathering around a single screen and watching a game together. However, we have all found ourselves in situations in which we are watching something solo. For all the times anyone with Vpro will be watching something solo that offers a Vpro experience to watch the same, this becomes a viable option. Will most people STILL choose to watch on TV? Yes, because free (or cheaper) beats whatever someone will charge for a Vpro stream and/or just personal preference. But will ALL choose TV? No... and that's the niche that could be served a Vpro stream in a profitable win:win way for all parties involved.
Maybe I should beware though: I was one of the first to get a Newton MessagePad (OMP) back in '93. And look how that turned out ?