According to an interesting report by the The Register, in China, the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset has sparked significant interest despite not being officially released in the country.
The device, launched this month in the United States, has entered the Chinese market via the gray market, where it’s being sold for double the US price. Amid this heightened demand, rental services for the Vision Pro have emerged in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, and Nanjing, with one Beijing VR startup, Vision Space, offering the headset for ¥98 ($13.60) per hour. Despite its high retail price, the rental model has attracted many customers, with Vision Space’s largest location seeing 10,000 customers eager to try out the device.
The rentals also require a hefty deposit, with some providers charging ¥30,000 ($4,167), yet this hasn’t deterred interest. This phenomenon highlights the curiosity around the Vision Pro in China and reflects broader questions about the practicality and adoption of VR/AR technology as a computing platform.
