Comment by wildpeaks
3 years ago
They shouldn't have revealed the price today, it would have afforded them more time to build hype around features and in-person demos (and to give themselves a chance to reduce the price before release).
3 years ago
They shouldn't have revealed the price today, it would have afforded them more time to build hype around features and in-person demos (and to give themselves a chance to reduce the price before release).
The high price tag is interesting from a strategy perspective. It feels like they wanted to start super high to really test the market and give themselves an out if it doesn't succeed for a long time.
Each year that they keep the price high, it can be used as an excuse for the lack of uptake, should it not succeed. If they ever exit the space, they can always announce that it was too difficult to make it work at lower price points, instead of "people just weren't interested in an AR headset".
> It feels like they wanted to start super high to really test the market
Reminds me of how Steve Jobs announced a price reduction by $200 in two months after the release of the first iPhone. Apple can likewise reduce the price of Apple Vision, but save face this time by releasing a non-Pro version.
> If they ever exit the space
I'm not sure if Apple would exit the space that easily. While markets for auxiliary products like homepods were easier to exit, Apple announced Apple Vision announced with too much fanfare to exit quickly.
Apple will probably commit to Apple Vision for a while, just like the Apple Watch. While the first Apple Watch did not take off massively, Apple persisted by pivoting it from a luxury item to a more practical device for fitness and Apple Pay.