Omdia Research analysis shows why the Apple Vision Pro is so expensive

The Apple Vision Pro launched with less success than the first iPhone or iPad, and just a few months after its release, it is already facing declining sales figures. Although Apple's AR glasses have some weaknesses according to initial tests, the main reason for the slump in sales figures is the high price of up to 3,500 US dollars. An analysis published on CNBC by market researchers from Omdia Research shows why the Vision Pro is so expensive.

According to Omdia Research, the two 1.25-inch micro OLED panels, each with a resolution of 3,660 x 3,200 pixels, are the biggest cost item. Together they are said to cost 456 US dollars. Other significant cost items are the processors: the Apple M2 costs around 120 US dollars and the Apple R1 around 60 US dollars. In total, the production costs of the AR glasses are said to amount to 1,542 US dollars. It should be noted that the costs for development, marketing and sales are not yet included here.

This analysis results in a profit margin of 55.9 percent for the Vision Pro. This means that Apple earns even more in percentage terms from the AR glasses than from the iPhone 15 Pro Max whose profit margin is "only" 53.5 percent. The fact that the Vision Pro is so expensive is therefore mainly due to the fact that Apple wants to make a good profit from it. It should be noted that the development costs naturally also have an influence on the price - and with several years of development time and over 5,000 patents, these must have been immense. It remains to be seen whether Apple will lower its prices if sales figures continue to fall.