Apple’s foray into the augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) headset market comes with a hefty price tag, starting at $3,500 for the much-anticipated Apple Vision Pro. This positions it as a premium offering, but a substantial portion of this cost is attributed to the device’s premium “bill of materials,” estimated to be just over $1,500.
The Anatomy of Vision Pro
Research from Omdia reveals that the components integrated into the Vision Pro contribute to an estimated cost of $1,542. Notably, the two 1.25-inch micro-OLED displays inside the headset, providing a total of 23 million pixels, stand out as the most expensive components. Each display is approximated to cost Apple $228, summing up to $456 per headset.
The M2 and R1 chips follow as the second most expensive components, collectively amounting to $240. The M2, identical to the chip in the 2022 MacBook Air, serves as the main processor handling content processing, running the visionOS operating system, executing computer vision algorithms, and managing graphical content. Meanwhile, the R1 chip manages data from cameras, sensors, and microphones.
While these cost breakdowns provide insights into the materials, it’s essential to note that estimating Apple’s profit margin solely from these figures is challenging. Factors such as research and development costs, packaging, shipping, sales, marketing, and potential upfront costs in large parts orders are not considered in these estimates.
Future Prospects
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo anticipates Apple producing fewer than 400,000 Vision Pro headsets in 2024, attributing it to the intricacies of manufacturing. However, there are whispers of a more budget-friendly iteration in the works, featuring chips akin to the iPhone rather than Mac-level chips, lower resolution internal displays, and more economical materials. This version might exclude the outward-facing EyeSight feature.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is actively developing a next-generation Vision Pro expected to debut in late 2025, hinting at continuous innovation in the AR/VR space.
