Meta thinks Apple Vision Pro success will help Quest 3 sales
Meta's Mark Zuckerberg thinks Apple Vision Pro will "draw more consumers" to AR/VR
Meta is quietly rooting for the Apple Vision Pro to succeed, as it believes strong sales of Apple’s headset will ultimately boost its own VR/AR business.
In a report from The Wall Street Journal, sources close to Meta say that it hopes Vision Pro will “reinvigorate its $50 billion metaverse effort, which consumers have yet to widely embrace”.
The Wall Street Journal report goes on to say that Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is even “optimistic” about the Apple Vision Pro launch on February 2 and believes that Apple entering the VR/AR space helps “validate” the company’s monumental investment and will ultimately “draw more consumers” to the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 2.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Meta welcomes Apple Vision Pro
📈 Meta hopes Apple Vision Pro will boost Quest 3 sales
👍 The company believes Vision Pro will justify its investment in AR/VR
💰 Apple Vision Pro has sold around 180,000 units ahead of its launch
📉 The VR/AR market dropped by almost 40% in the US in 2023
With the Apple Vision Pro price starting at $3,499 compared to $499 for the Meta Quest 3, Meta’s headset will be a tempting option for those who want to delve into VR and AR but aren’t willing to spend thousands of dollars.
The Wall Street Journal report also suggests Meta’s headsets could carve out a space that’s similar to how Android is a viable alternative to Apple’s iPhone.
“Meta employees see the Quest and its software ecosystem emerging as a primary alternative to Apple in the space, filling the role played by Google’s Android in smartphones,” the report explains.
Apple has reportedly 180,000 units of Apple Vision Pro headsets ahead of launch. The premium price point hasn’t deterred early adopters, though it remains to be seen whether Apple will achieve its goal of selling around 600,00 headsets in 2024.
Meta may shift its focus to augmented reality as opposed to virtual reality depending on how widely adopted the Apple Vision Pro becomes. The Meta Quest 3 is capable of AR and it appears consumers are more receptive to the benefits that augmented reality can bring than being enclosed in a VR world.
Sales of VR headsets and AR glasses in the US dropped by nearly 40% in 2023, according to data shared with CNBC. Meta Quest 3 did help boost the market during the holiday period, but it still didn’t help make up for poor sales throughout 2023.