The Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset goes on sale at Apple's flagship store in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, on June 28, 2024.
In CG | China Visual Group | Getty Images
Hangzhou, China – appleSony began shipping its mixed reality headset in China on Friday at a retail price about 18% higher than in the United States.
The device starts at 29,999 yuan, or $4,128, in China, compared to a retail price of $3,500 in the United States.
When asked by CNBC, a customer surnamed Chen in Beijing said his suggestion to Apple CEO Tim Cook was to make the Vision Pro about 10,000 yuan, or $1,376, cheaper. The customer, who did not give his first name due to concerns about speaking to foreign media, said many people in China might prefer to buy a used Vision Pro because of the discounted price that typically comes with purchases from non-Apple sellers.
Many of the most popular posts about the device on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Friday focused on the hashtag “Is it worth paying for the Chinese version of the Vision Pro,” according to a CNBC translation.
CNBC has reached out to Apple for comment.
Greater China accounted for about 18% of Apple's revenue in the three months ended March 30, according to Apple's filing.
Over the past year, Apple has faced increasing competition from Huawei and other domestic brands, amid greater concern about national security.
Chen pre-ordered the Vision Pro and was at a major store in Beijing to pick it up and receive some training on how to use it.
Store sales reps told CNBC that all half-hour training sessions on Friday for Vision Pro pre-orders have been booked at Apple stores in Beijing — from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Chinese companies such as Tencent, Alibaba and JD.com have launched Vision Pro versions of their apps for shopping, playing games and watching videos.
