Categories
News

Apple Vision Pro Customer Interest Dying Down at Some Retail Stores

[ad_1]

Apple Vision Pro, Apple’s $3,500 spatial computing device, appears to be following a pattern familiar to the AR/VR headset industry – initial enthusiasm giving way to a significant dip in sustained interest and usage.

apple vision pro orange
Since its debut in the U.S. in February 2024, excitement for the ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ has noticeably cooled, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reports a marked decline in the demand for retail demos and sales, based on the Apple Stores he has spoken to:

Demand for demos is way down. People who do book appointments often don’t show up, and sales — at least at some locations — have gone from a couple of units a day to just a handful in a whole week. Apple also has had to step up the marketing on its online homepage. There’s a huge promo for the Vision Pro at the top of the website — the most aggressive pitch since the device went on sale in early February.

The trend that ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ appears to be following is less likely to be a retail anomaly, and more indicative of a broader issue that has plagued VR technology from its inception: Maintaining user engagement after the initial novelty wears off.

Gurman offers his personal experience of Apple’s headset as a microcosm of what he suspects is a wider user trend. His own usage has decreased from daily interactions to just once or twice a week. A significant barrier to more frequent use, he says, is a setup that involves attaching batteries, booting up, and navigating a complex interface, which makes traditional devices like laptops and smartphones more appealing for regular tasks.

Gurman also blames the Vision Pro’s lack of a “killer app” and compelling content for further diminishing the headset’s appeal. He notes that it feels better suited to solitary activities – say, on a long flight or while working from home – rather than for use in social situations or around co-workers.

It seems Apple still has a considerable task ahead in evolving the Vision Pro into a device that redefines everyday technology use. In the meantime, several bugs that initially plagued visionOS have been resolved, although many of Apple’s own apps are still not optimized for the device’s operating system.

In the last ‌visionOS‌ update, Apple added Spatial Personas, which make it feel like you are in the same virtual room as another Vision Pro user. Spatial Personas can be used for watching movies and TV shows together, FaceTime and other video calls, using apps like Freeform, playing games, and more. However, the feature needs other Vision Pro owners to appreciate it, and as Gurman notes, they are still few and far between.

Apple is expected to produce fewer than 400,000 Vision Pro headsets in 2024 due to the complexity of manufacturing, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. However, Apple is said to be already working on a new version of the ‌Apple Vision Pro‌ for 2025 that will be priced more affordably. Meanwhile, the first incarnation of the headset is expected to arrive in additional countries later this year.

[ad_2]

Source Article Link

Categories
News

Apple Readying In-Box iPhone Software Update System for Retail Stores

[ad_1]

Apple is set to roll out a new system that allows retail store staff to wirelessly update the software on iPhones prior to sale, without having to take them out of their packaging.

Apple Store Vancouver Canada
Writing in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said the new proprietary system, called “Presto,” relies on MagSafe and other wireless technologies, and “looks a bit like a metal cubby for shoes.” It will begin rolling out widely across the U.S. in April, with Apple’s intention to have the technology in all U.S. retail stores by early summer, he added.

Gurman first reported on the wireless system in October, describing it as a “proprietary pad-like device” on which retail store staff can place a sealed ‌iPhone‌ box. The system wirelessly turns on the iPhone inside, updates its software to the latest version available, and then powers it off.

Apple developed “Presto” as a way to avoid selling iPhones in retail stores with outdated software. For example, the iPhone 15 series shipped with iOS 17, but Apple subsequently released iOS 17.0.1 before the devices launched. The point update was required to fix an issue that prevented the transfer of data directly from another iPhone during the initial setup process.

That meant new iPhone 15 owners had to update the devices themselves as part of the setup process, or manually via the Settings app under General → Software Update if they opted to set up the device as new and transfer data later. Following the rollout of “Presto,” such a scenario will be avoidable, making the setup process more straightforward for end users.

Popular Stories

Apple Releases iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Bug Fixes and Security Improvements

Apple today released iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems. The new software comes a couple of weeks after Apple released iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 with app changes in the European Union, new emoji, and more. iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software…

Seven Reasons to Wait for Next Year’s iPhone 17

Apple’s iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models concurrently, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple’s 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip…

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Users Customize Layout of Home Screen App Icons

iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. Home Screen on iOS 17 While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the…

The MacRumors Show: Apple’s Four Upcoming AirPods Models

On this week’s episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple’s rumored plan to refresh the entire AirPods lineup with a series of new models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos The fourth-generation AirPods will reportedly feature a new design with a better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C port. For the first time ever,…

Apple Silicon Vulnerability Allows Hackers to Extract Encryption Keys

An unpatchable vulnerability has been discovered in Apple’s M-series chips that allows attackers to extract secret encryption keys from Macs under certain conditions, according to a newly published academic research paper (via ArsTechnica). Named “GoFetch,” the type of cyber attack described involves Data Memory-Dependent Prefetchers (DMPs), which try to predict what data the computer will…

Review: Two Weeks With the M3 MacBook Air

The latest 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models have been available for two weeks now, and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using the 15-inch version since it launched. Over on our YouTube channel, Dan shared a review now that he’s been able to spend some quality time with the machine. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The M3 MacBook Air is a perfect…

Top Stories: iOS 18’s Generative AI Features to Rely on Google?, Latest on New iPads, and More

We’re getting closer to the launch of new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, while rumors about iOS 18 are continuing to ramp up with this week’s surprise revelation that Apple has been talking to Google and others about potentially helping power the generative AI features expected to be a major part of this year’s update. Other news this week saw the release of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1…

[ad_2]

Source Article Link

Categories
News

Apple’s Eighth Retail Store in Shanghai Expected to Open This Month

[ad_1]

Apple today announced the imminent opening of its eighth retail store in central Shanghai, China, which will be named Apple Jing’an.

apple store jing an shanghai
Located on Nanjing West Road in the Jing’an District (named after its famous ancient Jing’an Temple), Apple Jing’an will become the 57th Apple store in mainland China. Local reports suggest it will be the second largest store in the city.

Embracing a floral theme, the storefront is currently draped in a veil of blooming flowers. To celebrate the opening, Apple has also made a special wallpaper for Apple devices available to download on its China website.

Apple has not yet revealed when the store will begin to welcome customers, but local reports suggest it will open its doors later this month.

Apple is currently grappling with a significant slump in demand for iPhone sales in the country, with a recent report by CounterPoint Research suggesting ‌iPhone‌ sales dropped by 24 percent in the first six weeks of 2024 alone.

Popular Stories

Apple Changes Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches

Apple today adjusted its estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., with the changes reflected on its website. Apple slightly increased trade-in values for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, second-generation iPhone SE, Apple Watch Series 4, and first-generation Apple Watch SE, while trade-in values slightly decreased for the entry-level iPad, Apple Watch…

iOS 17.4 Out Now: 10 New Things Your iPhone Can Do

Apple has released iOS 17.4, its biggest iPhone software update of the year so far, featuring a number of features and changes that users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we’ve listed 10 new things that your iPhone will be able to do after you’ve installed the update, which became available on Tuesday, March 5. Be sure to check Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update on your …

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4

Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4 comes over a month after macOS Sonoma 14.3, an update that brought collaborative Apple Music playlists. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌ update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of…

Apple Releases tvOS 17.4

Apple today released tvOS 17.4, the fourth major update to the tvOS 17 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 17.4 comes over a month after the release of tvOS 17.3. tvOS 17.4 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple TV‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to…

Kuo: Apple Planning 20-Inch MacBook With Foldable Screen

Apple is planning to release a 20-inch MacBook with a foldable screen in around three years, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. “Apple’s only foldable product with a clear development schedule is the 20.3-inch MacBook, expected to enter mass production in 2027,” said Kuo, in a post on X today. He did not provide any additional details about the device. Kuo is the third source to…

[ad_2]

Source Article Link