The Vision Pro Is Coming Soon, But When?

It’s officially 2024, and that means an exciting new slate of Apple products, with the groundbreaking new Vision Pro mixed-reality headset expected to lead the pack.

While Apple’s premium first-generation headset won’t be on everyone’s shopping list for the new year, considering its $3,500 price tag, it’s still going to be very exciting to see the headset show up in Apple Stores, see what developers have done with immersive “spatial computing” apps, and hear tales of folks using the headset out in the wild.

Plus, once the Vision Pro has rolled out, everyday folks should finally be able to at least walk into an Apple Store and try one out for themselves — albeit perhaps by appointment only at first.

Like the first iPhone in 2007 and the original 2015 Apple Watch, it’s also just the beginning of what will undoubtedly become a whole new product family, with a more affordable “Vision” or “Vision Air” expected to eventually join the pricey flagship Vision Pro.

However, what we don’t know for sure yet is when the Apple Vision Pro will actually hit store shelves. There’s been a lot of rumor and conjecture — many from reliable sources — but it’s important to keep in mind that Apple has said nothing new since it first announced an “early 2024” US release date during the new headset’s debut at its June Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

Since then, we’ve heard only third-party reports from analysts and leakers about the headset’s progress. Some accessory makers have been quick to find ways to dress up the Vision Pro, while insiders have revealed how Apple plans to sell it in its retail stores, and developers have shared some inside info on how it will work.

The software tools have allowed many folks to pore through code to find out more about the Vision Pro, although the select few who have gotten their hands on the physical hardware for testing have been sworn to the utmost secrecy.

Meanwhile, we’re already hearing plans about the “Vision Pro 2” and speculation on a more affordable version, and iPhone 15 Pro users gained the ability to capture Vision Pro-ready 3D Spatial Video recordings over the holidays.

When’s It Coming?

Again, Apple remains tight-lipped about an actual release date, although if the rumors are true, we may hear something official very soon.

In November, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman predicted that the headset wouldn’t arrive until March, possibly tied into a much bigger “March Madness” event that would also see the debut of new iPads and an M3 MacBook Air lineup.

However, by late December, Gurman had revised those estimates, noting that Apple had been running production “at full speed” and taking applications for training Vision Pro Specialists in its stores. Since the memo went out before the holidays and employees who are applying need to go through an interview process, the training likely hasn’t started yet — Gurman predicted mid-January — but it’s also only a two-day course, so there’s plenty of time.

This points to an early February launch — a timeline corroborated by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo when he revealed that the Vision Pro was expected to begin mass shipments this week. That means some Vision Pro headsets may already be packaged and on their way to Apple distribution centers and, ultimately, to Apple retail stores across the US.

The goal is for customer-bound units to be ready by the end of January, with the retail debut planned for the following month.

Mark Gurman

A questionable report from Chinese investment news site Wall Street Insights (via MacRumors) has predicted an actual release date in the last week of January that roughly lines up with Gurman and Kuo’s predictions — although it’s a bit more optimistic.

Specifically, Wall Street Insight claims to have exclusive information that reveals the Vision Pro will hit shelves on January 27, 2024. Since that’s a Saturday, it’s likely the source is referring to the launch date in Chinese time, which works out to Friday, January 26, in the US.

A Saturday launch would be very unusual but not entirely out of the question. Apple launched its first iPad in the US on Saturday, April 3, 2010. However, that choice may have also been due to the Easter weekend timing for the launch; since Good Friday is a holiday in some parts of the US, Apple stores would have been closed that day in several US states.

Nevertheless, this specific date should still be taken with a healthy dose of salt, particularly considering the source’s unproven track record. Although Kuo and Gurman agree that the Vision Pro could be in at least some stores by the end of January, Gurman doesn’t think Apple will put them out for sale until February.

Whether this month or next, the Vision Pro will only be launching in the US for now. Apple has said it will come to the rest of the world eventually but hasn’t given us any specifics beyond saying that it’s coming to “more countries” later this year. The headset will also be sold exclusively in Apple retail stores at launch; due to the need for proper sizing and fitting of accessories, this won’t be a “grab-and-go” kind of product.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]