Apple Preparing to Push Vision Pro Customers to Pick Up at an Apple Store

Vision Pro customers will likely be pushed to pick up the device at an Apple Store, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

In October, Gurman reported that Apple was in the process of inviting retail store employees from each ‌Apple Store‌ in the United States to Cupertino, California to receive training on using and selling the Vision Pro headset. Apple apparently sent a memo to retail employees asking them to apply for the "secretive" event, with acceptance dependent on an application and interview process. An extract from the memo read:

Selected team members will travel and participate in an event in Cupertino, California, at some point in the first months of 2024. Upon returning to their home store, they'll deliver training and ongoing support to store team members. This is a group opportunity for those who have a deep passion for demonstrating Apple products and teaching others.

In the latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that these seminars are now being scheduled with staff training set to start in mid-January. Each ‌Apple Store‌ employee in attendance will receive two days of training, featuring instructions on the Vision Pro's setup process, approaching a customer, and placing the device on a user's head. Gurman previously said that flagship retail stores are set to gain dedicated Vision Pro hands-on areas, while other stores will only receive one or two units.

Gurman noted that "while customers will be able to reserve a Vision Pro online, it increasingly sounds like they'll be pushed to pick up the device at a store" with an appointment. Apple is planning to assemble customers' Vision Pro headsets in-store, compiling the appropriate headband, light seal, and optional prescription lenses. Retail stores are purportedly due to receive new equipment to assemble and package the headset in the near future.

Gurman still believes that the device will likely be released before March. Apple simply says that the Vision Pro headset will launch in "early" 2024.