Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed the upcoming arrival of the Vision Pro in mainland China later this year, according to Chinese state media (via Reuters). This announcement coincides with Tim Cook’s visit to Shanghai in advance of the China Development Forum.
Cook’s agenda included attending the opening of a new Apple Store in Jing’an, meetings with key Chinese app developers for the Vision Pro ecosystem, and tours of supplier facilities involved in the headset’s production chain. While Apple pursues expansion into neighboring markets like India and Vietnam, China remains a strategic priority.
Even though China is a confirmed launch destination later this year, the exact rollout schedule for other regions remains unclear. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests Apple’s international expansion plans for Vision Pro might begin sooner than anticipated. Kuo believes a wider launch before WWDC 2024 in June would benefit the upcoming developer conference, where Apple is expected to unveil updates to visionOS.
Tim Cook’s visit also comes in a time where Apple is facing challenges in the Chinese market. iPhone 15 sales have reportedly experienced a concerning 24% decline in the first six weeks of 2024, surpassing the slump observed by other major phone manufacturers.
Counterpoint Research attributes this decline to heightened competition from domestic players like Huawei. In response, Apple has implemented an unusual discount program encompassing all iPhone models in China. The program’s impact on sales figures is yet to be determined.
