Apple is preparing to expand the availability of its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset beyond the borders of the United States.
The tech giant has reportedly flown in hundreds of employees from its international stores to Cupertino, California, where they are undergoing training on how to showcase the $3,499 headset to potential customers, Bloomberg News reported.
This initiative, aimed at boosting demand for one of Apple’s most expensive ventures in recent years, is slated to coincide with the Worldwide Developers Conference scheduled for June 10 to June 14.
The training sessions, lasting up to four days, involve employees from various countries, including Germany, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and China.
This suggests that these countries could be among the first to receive the Vision Pro headset upon its international release.
Although Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment from Reuters, sources familiar with the matter indicate that the company is gearing up to introduce the headset to global markets.
The Vision Pro headset made its debut in June last year and became available for purchase in the U.S. starting February 2. Expanding its availability to international markets presents an opportunity for Apple to attract customers, particularly as sales of its flagship product, the iPhone, are experiencing a slowdown. While the Vision Pro initially garnered significant interest despite its high price tag, analysts have observed a decline in demand in recent months.
In a statement to China’s state-run CCTV Finance in March, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed plans to launch the Vision Pro in mainland China later this year.
Additionally, Cook emphasized the company’s commitment to increasing research and development investments in China, underscoring Apple’s strategic focus on the Chinese market.
