Apple Vision Pro Apps Face Slowdown as Demand Drops

Decline in New Apps for Apple Vision Pro

Since the release of the mixed-reality headset, Apple Vision Pro, on February 2, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of new apps. The success of the expensive goggles may falter without a significant number of apps.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the growth of the Vision Pro app ecosystem has slowed down since its launch. The base price of $3,499 for the Vision Pro has been unaffordable for many consumers, especially during a period of high inflation and interest rates. This could be the reason for the sluggish demand, as the glasses may have been overpriced.

Slowdown in App Development

According to the Wall Street Journal, there has been a significant reduction in the number of new apps being added to the Vision Pro each month. In September, only 10 apps were added to the Vision App Store, a significant decrease from the hundreds that were released in the first two months after the device's launch, as per the analytics firm Appfigures.

Appfigures has recorded around 1,770 apps available for the Vision Pro in the App Store as of September. Only 34% of these apps are specifically built for the Vision Pro, while the rest are versions of existing Apple apps with added Vision Pro functionality.

Apple claimed in August that there are over 2,500 apps built for the Vision Pro. Appfigures suggested that the difference between these two figures could be due to the fact that some apps aren't used enough to appear on usage charts, making them hard for the analytics firm to detect.

Decline in App Growth for Vision Pro

The Journal's visualization shows a significant decline in the number of new apps released for Vision Pro each month since its launch. The drop in app growth for Vision Pro is primarily due to the high cost of the futuristic ski goggles, which is equivalent to several months' rent or car payments for many average consumers.

Apple's Vision Pro Sales Figures

Although Apple has not officially released the sales figures for Vision Pro, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote in a late April note that the estimated shipments for the goggles for the year would be between 400k and 450k units, down from earlier estimates of 700k and 800k units.

Separately, Counterpoint Research reported that the sales figures for Vision Pro in the second quarter dropped 80% from the first quarter. The Wall Street Journal noted that for the Vision Pro to catch on, it would need killer apps, similar to what made the iPhone one of the most popular consumer products in history.

Apple's Market Capitalization

Despite the lack of success of the AI-enabled iPhone 16 and the Vision Pro, Apple's market capitalization is currently at $3.5 trillion.

Bottom Line

The success of the Apple Vision Pro seems to be hanging in the balance due to the high cost and the slowdown in the development of new apps. It raises the question of whether the high price tag is worth it for consumers, given the current economic climate. What are your thoughts on this? Feel free to share this article with your friends and discuss it. Also, remember to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6 pm.