How Apple Should Have Framed the $3,500 ‘Vision Pro’ Price Point

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-06-11/will-there-be-a-cheaper-apple-vision-how-apple-can-lower-cost-of-new-headset-lirfnvz1" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Mark Gurman’s newsletter a couple weeks ago</a> directly took on the Vision Pro’s $3,500 price tag: <blockquote> At $3,500, Apple Vision Pro isn’t priced to sell. No matter how powerful its technology and compelling its functionality, the product won’t be able to reach its potential or have a real future at seven times the price of its top rival. When the price of the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-05/apple-debuts-vision-pro-headset-in-search-of-post-iphone-future" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">headset was announced</a>, there were loud gasps among the crowd at the company’s campus. The cost has been criticized by consumers and online commentators alike and Apple’s argument for the price point has also been short of compelling. </blockquote> There was quite a bit of chatter leading up to the unveil that perhaps the rumored $3k price (which Gurman himself was the first to report, I believe) was Apple “sandbagging” just as it seemingly had done with the original iPad years ago. That Apple would reveal a $1,499 price point or something. Boom. But just a few minutes into the presentation, <a href="https://twitter.com/mgsiegler/status/1665793189272330240" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">it was clear</a> that not only was that not the case, $3k may have even been optimistic. There was just so much high-end technology crammed into this thing. Sure enough… Overall, I agree with the concept of getting the price out there now and letting everyone digest it for months before any actual purchasing decisions need to be made. I agree less with Apple trying to spin the price as similar to a high-end TV (mixed with other high-end equipment), as executive Mike Rockwell tried to do on stage. The use cases will not be the same. And the justification betrays the sensitivity Apple clearly has here. I would have had Apple come out and own it, <a href="https://500ish.com/in-command-a511a9a83d98" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Steve Jobs-style</a>. Something like: <blockquote> Yes, this is a high-end product with a high-end price. That’s why we gave it the ‘Pro’ name. It’s going to carry a premium cost to buy because it comes at a premium cost to build. Make no mistake, this is great value. No one comes close to the technology we have put into this machine. (Reiterates) Not even close. I mean just look at the headsets out there in the market right now. [Cut to Keynote slide showing Quest, PS VR, etc specs and design.] Even Facebook — I’m sorry, “Meta” (laughs) — recently tried to release a high-end version of their Quest headset. And let’s just look at it. [A new slide with the Quest Pro specs and design.] </blockquote> Visit Now