Apple refreshed the Vision Pro last fall with a new M5 chip, better battery life, and a redesigned headband. Still, sales remain weak. Early estimates suggest the update did little to change the device’s position as 2026 begins.
Sales in the launch quarter of the M5 model stayed low. Analysts estimate Apple shipped only about 45,000 Vision Pro units during the 2025 holiday quarter. That number stands in sharp contrast to the millions of iPhones, iPads, and Macs Apple sells every quarter.
A new report from the Financial Times describes a product struggling to gain traction despite hardware upgrades. The report points to slowing demand, reduced marketing, and a broader decline in the VR headset market.
What the data shows
Recent estimates and industry data highlight several clear trends:
- Vision Pro shipments in Q4 2025 came in at roughly 45,000 units.
- Apple cut its digital advertising spend for Vision Pro by more than 95 percent in the US and UK.
- The global VR headset market fell 14 percent year over year.
Apple has not shared official sales numbers. However, IDC expects Vision Pro shipments to remain limited, even during peak shopping periods.
Manufacturing and marketing pullback
Apple has already scaled back production. Its manufacturing partner in China halted Vision Pro production early last year after shipping about 390,000 units in 2024. Apple also chose not to expand Vision Pro sales beyond the 13 countries where it is currently available.
These moves signal softer consumer demand for a device that once carried high expectations. The headset starts at $3,499, which places it far above most competing products.
Why consumers are holding back
Analysts and critics point to several issues that continue to limit Vision Pro’s appeal:
- High price compared to other headsets
- Heavy design that becomes uncomfortable over time
- Limited battery life, even after recent improvements
- A small library of VisionOS native apps
One analyst summed it up by citing “the cost, form factor and the lack of VisionOS native apps” as key reasons the headset failed to reach a broad audience.
Apple says there are about 3,000 apps built specifically for Vision Pro. Even so, that number remains far below what helped drive early iPhone adoption.
A tough market beyond Apple
Vision Pro’s struggles mirror a wider slowdown in VR. Counterpoint Research reports a 14 percent annual drop in the overall headset market. Meta dominates roughly 80 percent of that space with its Quest devices, which cost far less but also face slowing interest and reduced marketing spend.
For now, Vision Pro shows some progress in enterprise use cases such as training and medical applications. Still, consumer demand remains limited. Apple declined to comment on the report, leaving open questions about where the Vision Pro fits in the company’s long-term strategy.
