Why Are People Returning Their Apple Vision Pro?

Friday was the last day of the 14-day return period that a day one buyer of the Apple Vision Pro could return their headset, and Apple is looking closely at the reasons why customers are returning their “spatial computer.”

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported on Sunday that the Vision Pro return rate fell somewhere in the average to above-average range when compared to other Apple products. When customers return the headsets, retail workers quiz them on why they are returning the headset. Employees have also been told to report to a manager after each Vision Pro return so that any concerns can be passed back to headquarters in Cupertino, California.

Gurman says he also spoke to “more than a dozen” customers who returned their units. While “more than a dozen” is a small sample, he noted that many of them cited one or more of the same five reasons.

• The device is simply too heavy, too cumbersome to manage, headache-inducing, and uncomfortable.
• The current lack of applications and video content doesn’t justify the price.
• The work features don’t make people more productive than just using a normal external monitor with a Mac – and they’re difficult to use for long periods.
• The displays have too much glare, the field of view is too narrow, and the device causes eyestrain and vision problems.
• The product can make users feel isolated from family and friends. Meaningful shared experiences don’t yet exist, and the Vision Pro can’t easily be passed around to others because of the need for a precise fit.

He suggests that the carefully curated Vision Pro demo experience Apple offers in-store could be the culprit. Some stores report that as many as 10-15% of those receiving a demo purchase a Vision Pro. Unfortunately, when they get their new precious home, the everyday usage experience doesn’t live up to the exciting demo.