Fourth-quarter shipments are estimated to plummet to 45,000 units, and Apple (AAPL.US) plans to cut Vision Pro production

Zhitong Finance App learned that due to low consumer demand, Apple (AAPL.US) has reduced the scale of production and marketing of its Vision Pro headsets, according to reports from two market intelligence companies.

According to International Data Corporation (IDC), Apple's manufacturing partner Lixun Precision in China stopped production of Vision Pro at the beginning of last year. In 2024 (the year the device was released), it shipped 390,000 units.

IDC estimates that Apple will only deliver 45,000 new devices in the fourth quarter of 2025 (including the busy holiday shopping season).

The tech giant has also drastically cut Vision Pro's digital ad spend in markets such as the US and UK, according to Sensor Tower. Apple directly sold the headset in 13 countries, but did not expand it to other markets in 2025.

Starting at $3,499, Vision Pro is considered too expensive by many. Critics also point out that the headset is heavy, uncomfortable to wear, has a relatively short battery life, and limited application software.

Apple is trying to fix some of these issues by launching an upgraded version of the M5 in October, which extends battery life and uses a new headband design. Apple is expected to launch a cheaper version with lower configuration this year.

According to Counterpoint Research, virtual reality headsets generally face difficulties in attracting consumer interest, and the device's overall market size shrank 14% year over year.

Currently, about 80% of the market share is occupied by Meta (META.US)'s Quest headset. Its starting price is about $370, and its features are less advanced. Even so, Meta has cut back digital marketing spending on its headphone products over the past year.