Apple Vision Pro starts deliveries at higher price in China than U.S.

HANGZHOU, China — Apple‘s mixed-reality headset began deliveries in China on Friday with a retail price roughly 18% higher than in the U.S. 

The device starts at 29,999 yuan, or $4,128, in China, compared to a $3,500 retail price in the U.S.

When asked by CNBC, a customer surnamed Chen in Beijing said his suggestion to Apple CEO Tim Cook was to make Vision Pro cheaper by about 10,000 yuan, or $1,376. The customer, who did not share his first name due to concerns about speaking with foreign media, said many people in China might prefer to buy a secondhand Vision Pro because of the discounted price that typically comes with purchases from sellers unaffiliated with Apple.

Many of the most popular posts about the device on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Friday focused on the hashtag “is it worth paying for the China version of Vision Pro,” according to a CNBC translation.

CNBC has reached out to Apple for comment.

Greater China accounted for about 18% of Apple’s revenue in the three months that ended March 30, according to an Apple filing.

Over the past year, Apple has faced growing competition from Huawei devices and other domestic brands, amid greater attention on national security.

Chen preordered his Vision Pro and was at a major store in Beijing to pick it up and receive some training on how to use it.

Store salespeople told CNBC that all of Friday’s half-hour training sessions for preorders of the Vision Pro were booked up at Apple stores in Beijing — from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Chinese companies such as Tencent, Alibaba and JD.com have launched Vision Pro versions of their apps for shopping, playing games and watching videos.