Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) has cut its target for production of its Vision Pro augmented-reality headset just four weeks after the launch of the US$5,000 apiece goggles to huge fanfare.
Sales to the public will start early next year in the US but according to a report in the FT today, production levels are running well below earlier expectations due to the complexity of the tech involved.
According to the report, manufacturing the micro-OLED displays is proving to be a challenge with Apple said to be unhappy with the number of defects.
Vision Pro boasts an ultra-high-resolution display system with an enormous 23 million pixels spread across two displays with a unique dual-chip configuration, powered by custom Apple silicon.
Having originally aimed to produce one million units in 2024, its first full year on sale, Chinese manufacturer Luxshare is now budgeting for fewer than 400,000, according to the report.
Apple though has reportedly ordered components for as little as 150,000 units in the first year, said the FT, while plans for a cheaper entry-level alternative have been shelved for now.
Citing people close to Luxshare, the FT said while the 2024 numbers were disappointing, it was planning to ramp up capacity to 18mln units a year eventually.