Vision Pro’s next launch country may have gotten revealed and more are likely to follow
According to Reuters and several other reliable sources, Tim Cook has allegedly confirmed the Vision Pro’s next launch region to be China. That only makes sense, given Statista’s estimates that about 20% of the company’s sales come from China.
China is known to have a very high percentage of early adopters — people who adjust to technological innovations quickly — which also makes sense for Apple's possible choice. Given that the Vision Pro is in need of more software support, starting with China makes sense on a foundational and a business level.
If this claim turns out to be true, then it would have taken Apple less than a month after the Vision Pro’s launch to start preparing for release in another major region. If that truly comes to pass, then one question remains: how long before a factual global launch?
Interestingly enough, MacRumors has some data, which may serve as an indication. Uncovered bits of visionOS code can be taken as a sign of what languages are to be added to the Vision Pro's virtual keyboard and UI. Those being:
As we can see, Chinese is at the top, which coincides with the claims made by Reuters. Next on the list is Australia, where Apple has been present for over 40 years. While we don’t have any numbers on market share, we do know that iPhone usage in Australia has been steadily growing in recent years.
Could this be enough to convince Apple to launch in Australia following China? Time will tell. And when that time comes, we’ll know what we can expect out of the rest of the list.
Keep in mind though: the code, containing the hints about the languages may be factual, but the claim for the Vision Pro's next launch region is still practically just a rumor. Until Apple comes forward with an official statement, this should be taken with a grain of salt.
That being said, the timeline of events and the context of the situation certainly makes sense. If the Vision Pro does launch next in China, we’ll likely see a lot more visionOS apps and third-party peripherals come out by the end of 2024.
More importantly, it is great to know that the Vision Pro will likely become available outside of the US soon, as I’m sure that a ton of Apple fans can’t wait to try the spatial computer on.
China is known to have a very high percentage of early adopters — people who adjust to technological innovations quickly — which also makes sense for Apple's possible choice. Given that the Vision Pro is in need of more software support, starting with China makes sense on a foundational and a business level.
If Apple remakes this trailer, but using old-school Chinese film footage or even anime for the launch, that would be pretty based.
Interestingly enough, MacRumors has some data, which may serve as an indication. Uncovered bits of visionOS code can be taken as a sign of what languages are to be added to the Vision Pro's virtual keyboard and UI. Those being:
- Chinese, Simplified
- English (Australia)
- English (Canada)
- English (Japan)
- English (Singapore)
- English (UK)
- French (Canada)
- French (France)
- German (Germany)
- Japanese
- Korean
As we can see, Chinese is at the top, which coincides with the claims made by Reuters. Next on the list is Australia, where Apple has been present for over 40 years. While we don’t have any numbers on market share, we do know that iPhone usage in Australia has been steadily growing in recent years.
We’re proud to celebrate Apple’s long history in Australia, and to deepen our shared commitment to protecting the planet and creating opportunity in people’s lives... We’re fortunate to have so many great partners, colleagues, and customers across this country, and we’ll continue working together to make the world a more equitable and just place for all.
— Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, August 2022
Could this be enough to convince Apple to launch in Australia following China? Time will tell. And when that time comes, we’ll know what we can expect out of the rest of the list.
Keep in mind though: the code, containing the hints about the languages may be factual, but the claim for the Vision Pro's next launch region is still practically just a rumor. Until Apple comes forward with an official statement, this should be taken with a grain of salt.
More importantly, it is great to know that the Vision Pro will likely become available outside of the US soon, as I’m sure that a ton of Apple fans can’t wait to try the spatial computer on.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: