In a bid to boost the market success of its mixed-reality Vision Pro headset, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has added the two largest online retailers in China to its roster of supported applications.
What Happened: The Vision Pro headset, priced at $3,500, will now be supported by the native apps of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:BABA) and JD.com Inc. (NASDAQ:JD), reported Bloomberg on Friday. The apps will offer various features such as virtual test drives of Xiaomi cars and makeup simulations.
App support is seen as crucial for the success of Vision Pro, which has had a rocky start in the U.S. with Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) opting out of creating a bespoke app.
The headset, which is set to launch in China, Japan, and Singapore on Jun. 28, has seen a significant sales premium for imported units in overseas markets but has failed to generate significant sales so far.
Apple stock gained nearly 12% in the last 12 months. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via Vanguard Growth ETF (NYSE:VUG) and Vanguard Information Tech ETF (NYSE:VGT)
Why It Matters: Apple's expansion into the Chinese market with the Vision Pro headset comes amid several challenges. The company has been facing obstacles in its artificial intelligence push in China due to stringent regulations and rising competition from local firms like Huawei.
Additionally, Apple has reportedly been struggling to develop a more affordable version of the Vision Pro. The high price tag and lack of mainstream appeal have led to a re-evaluation of the Vision Pro's roadmap. The company aims to make the headset more accessible by introducing a range of devices with varying price points.
Apple is also in ongoing discussions with several Chinese companies, including Baidu and Alibaba, to integrate AI functions into its devices sold in China. This is part of Apple's strategy to navigate the complex regulatory environment and enhance its product offerings in the region.
Image Via Shutterstock
This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
为了提高其混合现实Vision Pro耳机在市场上的成功率，Apple Inc.（NASDAQ:AAPL）将中国最大的两家在线零售商添加到其支持的应用程序名单中。
发生了什么：根据彭博社周五的报道，定价为3,500美元的Vision Pro耳机现在将受到阿里巴巴集团控股有限公司（NYSE: BABA）和JD.com Inc.（NASDAQ: JD）的本地应用程序的支持。这些应用程序将提供各种功能，例如小米汽车的虚拟试驾和化妆模拟等。
应用程序支持被视为Vision Pro成功的关键，但在美国却经历了坎坷，因为Netflix Inc.（NASDAQ:NFLX）选择不创建专属应用。
这款耳机将于6月28日在中国、日本和新加坡上市，并在海外市场出售进口装置时价格明显高于市价，但迄今为止并未产生重大销售业绩。
苹果公司的股价在过去的12个月中上涨了近12%。投资者可以通过成长股ETF-vanguard（NYSE:VUG）和信息技术ETF-vanguard（NYSE:VGT）来获得该股票的曝光度。
此次苹果向中国市场推出Vision Pro耳机，面临着多种挑战。由于严格的监管和来自华为等本土公司的竞争日益激烈，该公司在中国的人工智能推动方面一直面临着障碍。
此外，苹果公司据报道一直在努力开发更实惠的Vision Pro版本。高昂的价格和缺乏主流吸引力导致对Vision Pro路线图的重新评估。该公司计划通过引入价格不同的设备系列使这款耳机更易获得。
苹果公司还在与百度和阿里巴巴等几家中国公司进行持续对话，旨在将人工智能功能整合到其在中国销售的设备中，这是苹果定位于这个复杂的监管环境并增强其在该地区产品相提并论的策略的一部分。
图片来自Shutterstock。
本报道使用Benzinga Neuro生成，并由Kaustubh Bagalkote
