I’ve written extensively in the past few weeks about the Vision Pro’s purported release estimates, as they’ll impact my ability to purchase Apple’s spatial computer directly. Getting the Vision Pro will require an actual trip to an Apple store for a proper fitting. That’s why the Vision Pro might not hit international markets anytime soon, which is bad news for me.
But we’ve gone from a generic “early 2024” release estimate to a clearer late January or early February launch window in recent weeks. I said that the sooner the US gets the Vision Pro, the better for the rest of the world.
Apple isn’t ready to announce a release date for the Vision Pro, but we have a sketchy date for you that fits the previous estimates. If this report is accurate, we’re looking at a January 27th release date for the spatial computer.
The date comes from Chinese investor news service Wall Street Insights. They say the Vision Pro will hit US stores on January 27th, which is a Saturday. The site claims they’ve learned the date from Vision Pro supply chain sources. As a reminder, the Vision Pro manufacturing is in full swing, according to other reports.
The same story also says that Sony is the main supplier of the OLED panels inside the Vision Pro. Unnamed Chinese companies might also manufacture OLED panels for the spatial computer. Apparently, OLED screens are a key component that might impact Apple’s ability to scale up production.
It’s unclear if any of that is accurate. MacRumors points out that Wall Street Insights doesn’t have a proven track record reporting on Apple leaks.
More importantly, the January 27th release date is somewhat strange for the Vision Pro. That’s because it falls on a Saturday. Apple usually launches new products on a Friday. Therefore, January 26th would make more sense if the information is accurate.
One explanation is that Wall Street Insights might have converted the time to Chinese local time. January 26th would translate to January 27th in China. But it’s not like China will have Vision Pro stock for local buyers.
I can also think of another explanation. The Vision Pro will reportedly be ordered online, but it’ll require appointments. Since you’ll have to go to a physical retail store to try the spatial computer and get a good fit, a Saturday launch might make sense. It’s the weekend, so buyers would have the time to schedule their Vision Pro purchase appointments.
Then again, if January 27th is the start of preorders, my entire theory becomes invalid. Preorders should start on a Friday, assuming Apple is going that route with the Vision Pro.
The thing is, the Vision Pro is unlike anything else on the market. The Vision Pro could lead to AR glasses that replace the iPhone. So, if the spatial computer is about to disrupt the computing world, why not also disrupt Apple’s way of selling things?
That’s all wishful thinking at this point from a Vision Pro enthusiast who will have to wait for several months to get his first spatial computer.
I do expect Apple to announce the Vision Pro release date sooner than later. After all, January is going to be a pretty busy month for technology.
It starts with CES 2024, which will feature plenty of AI news. Then, on January 17th, Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S24 series, with Galaxy AI features on board. And this one will compete directly against the iPhone. What better way to change the narrative somewhat than to have a Vision Pro launch event drop at some point around all that?
