Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) confirmed last week that its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset will be made available in the U.S. on Feb. 2, with preorders beginning Jan. 19. Bloomberg columnist Mark Gurman Sunday said the MR headset will pose one of the toughest marketing challenges to Cupertino.
Marketing Challenge: Apple has priced the Vision Pro, which has ”limited battery life, an unwieldy design and no killer app,” at $3,499, Gurman said in the weekly Power On newsletter.
The company is bracing for an initial sales surge, courtesy of the early adopters, followed by a tapering off of demand, he said, adding that retail stores may need twice as much inventory space “during the opening weekend than afterward.”
With Apple’s previous devices such as the iPod, the iPad, the iPhone and even the Watch, shoppers didn’t require a lot of ”coaxing and coaching,” the columnist noted.
”The Vision Pro will be a different beast. Few consumers are accustomed to wearing a mixed-reality headset, and Apple’s model requires particular care,” Gurman said.
“If the device isn’t fitted to someone’s head correctly — or is missing the right lenses — the entire experience could be ruined, potentially costing Apple a $3,499 sale forever.”
See Also: Everything You Need To Know About Apple Stock
Apple Does Groundwork: ”Apple has prepared its most sophisticated sales pitch ever, including a demo lasting up to 25 minutes — longer than it takes to watch your favorite sitcom,” Gurman said. The company has also trained several hundred employees at its offices in Cupertino, he added.
“To make sure retail staffers get everything right,” Apple hosted several hundred employees at its offices this month in Cupertino to walk them through the process, the columnist said.
Gurman noted that the customer demos will begin at Apple’s U.S. retail stores on the launch date, with sign-ups beginning at 8 a.m. local time. More than a dozen demo units will be made available simultaneously at the largest stores, with dedicated sit-down areas where presentations will take place, he said.
The Modus Operandi: Gurman outlined the demo process as follows:
Retail store worker scans user’s face with an app, similar to setting up Face ID.
Scan will help decide on the light seal, foam cushion and band size that…
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