After years of waiting, Apple has finally revealed its highly-anticipated VR headset, Apple Vision Pro. In China, some Apple fans pulled all-nighters to watch the unveiling online, and get a first glimpse of the product before it hits stores next year.
Despite being impressed by the product’s sleek design and powerful performance, many were shocked at the news of its steep price tag, a whopping $3499.
Even though the official price for the headset in China has not yet been revealed, netizens are already voicing their complaints. A related hashtag has racked up more than 190 million views on social media platform Weibo.
“I’ll consider it if it’s 3,499 RMB,” wrote one user.
“If $3,499 isn’t a big deal to you, it’s worth buying,” wrote another.
This talk comes just a week after Apple experienced a separate public relations speed bump in China. The company held its first-ever livestream sales session during the 618 shopping festival, an annual ecommerce event in China. It was not well received, to say the least.
Viewers had tuned in with high expectations, anticipating exclusive offers. Instead, the event ended up being a dry teaching session which explained iPhone and Apple Watch features.
China is used to a dynamic and entertaining standard of livestreams, with sellers who quip back-and-forth with customers — top sellers can even achieve a celebrity status of their own.
Against this backdrop, Apple’s historic first livestream puzzled customers. There were no deals to be found, and the stream ended abruptly as confused comments began to stack up.
Despite the lackluster reception, Apple’s event still managed to attract significant attention, with 1.28 million viewers tuning in.
Cover image via Weibo
