Apple is almost ready to sell the Vision Pro outside the United States

On Monday, Gurman reported that Apple had flown “hundreds of its international store employees” to its offices in Cupertino, California, to show them how to demo the device. Training sessions reportedly began last week, and classes lasted up to four days, according to Gurman’s sources.

Apple employees from Germany, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and China are participating in the training, but apparently the company has not told these employees in which country the Vision Pro will actually be launched. Apple CEO Tim Cook previously promised that the headset would arrive in China sometime in 2024. Other rumors reported by Bloomberg also suggested that Apple would prioritize launching in the UK and Canada, although those regions are noticeably absent here.

Either way, this launch will be the first opportunity for overseas customers to purchase the Vision Pro through official channels, which could give the device the necessary boost in sales. Although Apple has not indicated how many Vision Pros have been sold, Bloomberg claims that some U.S. Apple stores only sell a few units per week and that even resellers in places like Hong Kong are offering the gadget below its retail price.

The limited number of apps and its exorbitant price are just a few factors impacting the Vision Pro’s mainstream appeal, but it might fare better in countries like China and Japan, where the technology virtual reality is less specialized.

The current employee training is apparently reminiscent of the one US-based Apple employees went through to prepare for the US launch, meaning international customers may also be given a pitch lasting around 20 minutes They ask for a demonstration of the product. It’s unclear whether overseas customers will also be required to make appointments for the demonstrations, as U.S. bookings have “declined significantly,” according to Bloomberg- if customers take the trouble to introduce themselves.