Why Apple Vision Pro are failing The company reportedly cut production

The interest and hype that initially surrounded Apple’s Vision Pro recalls what in the past involved other smart glasses. Several major technology companies have been producing smart glasses and augmented reality headsets for some time, such as Snap’s Spectacles or those born from the collaboration between Ray-Ban and Meta. These products offer a middle ground between the total immersion typical of Apple Vision Pro and the more minimal approach of another product that, in the field of smart glasses, made history in some way. These are the Google Glass: despite being unsuccessful, today they are considered an almost pioneering device, which among other things suffered from being perhaps too far ahead of its time.

Vision Pro, on the other hand, has been praised for its technological features, aside from some reservations. Although it has impressed on the entertainment front, making it possible to watch movies or other content from streaming platforms, observers agree that this new device should be considered a first step toward a new way of using smartphones and computers, as well as their respective interfaces. Its price, at $3,500, is however considered a major obstacle to its widespread adoption, much like what happened with various smart glasses launched in the past.

Will Apple Vision Pro meet the same fate as Google Glass?

Google Glass was a failure also because it ended up being perceived as an elitist product, as well as being uncomfortable and aesthetically unappealing. From the very beginning, they divided the company’s team: some believed they were a device to be worn all day, while others envisioned a more limited use, restricted to the workplace. The launch of Vision Pro has also been accompanied by a series of internal criticisms within Apple, unusual for the forward-thinking company. The product, which appears to have been strongly championed by CEO Tim Cook, was designed for indoor use, but since the official launch of the headset, clips of users wearing it in public places have gone viral, generating numerous criticisms toward Apple.

The same thing had happened with Google Glass: a year after the product’s launch, in 2013, the derogatory term «glasshole» spread, used to describe those who wore them outdoors. The outrage was such that in San Francisco some people wearing them were even attacked by passersby. One of the reasons concerned privacy, and more specifically the lack of indicators to signal when the user was using the camera to record video. For this reason, the use of Google Glass was banned in cinemas in the United Kingdom, and some drivers were fined for using them while driving. Before becoming a failure, this first version of smart glasses was initially met with enthusiasm: they were included in the list of the best inventions of 2012 by Time magazine, and the US edition of Vogue dedicated a special of more than ten pages to them.

Do smart glasses have to do with fashion?

Google Glass were presented as a fashion accessory rather than as a technological gadget. During the 2012 New York Fashion Week, Google co-founder Sergey Brin attended the Diane von Furstenberg show wearing a pair; the same was done by the models on the runway and by the designer herself. The event was, not by chance, part of the product’s launch campaign. Designed for augmented reality, and capable of adding digital elements to what was seen, Google Glass were made up of three main elements: an external camera, a small display, and a touchpad that allowed the device to be activated and interacted with, through the voice command «Ok Glass». The first Google Glass prototype weighed more than 3 kilograms and was difficult to use; it was later lightened to make it lighter than a traditional pair of sunglasses and to give it a more minimal look. A review by the technology site The Verge praised «the Apple-worthy design» of the product.

Vision Pro weighs 650 grams, is worn using an elastic strap, and the impression shared by several reviews is that of having a kind of ski mask on one’s head. In this case as well, the bulk and weight are reported as a possible issue.

Has Apple stopped producing Vision Pro?

According to some rumors, the company founded by Steve Jobs has reduced production of Vision Pro due to poor sales. Apple does not publish the actual sales numbers of the headset, but the International Data Corporation (IDC) group states that, in the last quarter of 2025, only 45,000 units were sold. In addition to reducing production, according to what was reported by the Financial Times, last year Apple also cut marketing for the device by over 95%, demonstrating the company’s reduced interest in Vision Pro.

The cut to Chinese production of the product reportedly began at the beginning of 2025, IDC reports, which also states that Apple would not have expanded sales beyond the 13 countries initially selected. According to analysts’ forecasts, in the next 12 months sales of augmented reality headsets could decline by a further 14%. The company is now reportedly focusing on other devices, dedicated to AI, much like Meta is also doing with its Smart Glasses. With more affordable prices and a less strange look, they could fill the market gap—if it can be called that—left by Vision Pro.