Apple's Pricey Vision Pro to Battle Meta's Budget Quest as Mixed Reality Headset Wars Heat Up
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Apple's Vision Pro headset will compete with Meta's Quest 3 and others in the VR/AR market in 2024. The $3,499 Vision Pro offers mixed reality; Meta's $499 Quest 3 is more basic.
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Google may partner with Samsung and Qualcomm on a mixed reality headset after past failed attempts at smart glasses. Smaller firms like Valve and Pico also compete in niches.
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Headset sales will grow but likely total only 18m units in 2024. Supply constraints and high pricing will limit Vision Pro sales to under 200,000 units initially.
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The key will be what developers can create as compelling use cases for headsets beyond just gaming. The software will determine if headsets go mainstream.
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In 2024 all eyes will be on Apple's ambitions in the headset market and whether it can drive adoption through developer creativity, as happened with the iPhone.