Hundreds of pre-orders for Apple Vision Pro have hit eBay, and if you want one, you’ll pay a premium
It’s not easy to figure out how many Vision Pro mixed reality headsets Apple sold in its first weekend, but finding out whether everyone legitimately bought one is even harder.
Estimates are for Vision Pro to sell somewhere in the area over the weekend 180,000 units, and while Apple hasn’t confirmed this, there are some indications that the Cupertino tech giant has sold out of its Spatial Computing launch product. Still, I quickly went through the popular auction site eBay brings in hundreds and hundreds of Vision Pro headsets.
Since Apple has yet to ship its first Vision Pro (pre-orders started on January 19 and will ship on February 2), the majority of auction listings on eBay appear to be placeholders for pre-orders. In one auction listing, the seller wrote (all caps are his):
“THIS IS A PRE-ORDER THAT ARRIVES ON FEBRUARY 2! I WILL SHIP SAME DAY AS LONG AS IT ARRIVES TO ME BEFORE 4PM.”
Some listings show a marketing image of the Vision Pro, while others are simply proof of an existing pre-order. Prices range from less than $600 to more than $7,000. The base 256GB model currently costs $3,499.99 (Vision Pro doesn’t ship outside the US).
While profit margins are expected on eBay listings, it’s hard to imagine anyone paying double for the as-yet untested mixed-reality headset. More worrying are the offers under $1,000. There’s no way a seller could pay Apple’s approximately $3,500 upfront cost and then make a loss. The low prices are simply a reason to stimulate interest and bids.
Why all the excitement and unsurprising eBay activity? Apple Vision Pro is special. It is Apple’s first new product category since the Apple Watch from 2015. Apple is trying to launch an entirely new Spatial Computing category with this high-quality and powerful wearable computer (it contains M2 and R1 chips).
I’ve had four experiences with Vision Pro and can agree that it’s not quite like anything on the market. I’m particularly impressed with the gaze and gesture tracking and the ability to smoothly transition from full immersion to partial and finally full passthrough with realistic augmented reality. It has the potential to transform entertainment, communication, gaming and productivity. There’s also a good chance it will flop, as consumers still don’t fully understand why they need to spend thousands of dollars on something they can only use if they put it on their head.
If you’re considering bidding on one of these eBay listings, keep in mind that off-brand prices aren’t your only concern. You cannot order Vision Pro without performing a facial scan to ensure you get the correct light seal. The eBay seller did the scan and there is no guarantee that your face sizes and shapes will match (some do mention the size of the light seal to help you with your face size).
Additionally, if you wear glasses, you will need special Zeiss inserts ranging from $99 to $149 to correct your vision in the Vision Pro. Otherwise, the system’s two 4K microLED screens will look terrible. Without using Apple’s guided ordering system, you won’t receive the correct inserts at the same time you receive the headset from the seller.
I’ve contacted Apple about the eBay listings to see if they have any concerns. I can imagine they are not happy about that.