Tim Cook pitches Apple’s new Vision Pro headset as a must-have for businesses despite augmented reality’s checkered history in the workplace 

Rachyl Jones

<a href="https://fortune.com/company/apple/" target="_blank">Apple</a> Vision Pro: coming to an office near you.&nbsp;<div class="paywall-selector"></div><div class="paywall">



Apple has largely built its success selling to individual consumers, but the tech giant is doubling down on its enterprise business, especially when it comes to its new mixed-reality headset, CEO Tim Cook said on an earnings call with investors and analysts on Thursday.&nbsp;



“We really concluded that we can do both,” Cook said.&nbsp;



The reason: a change in workplace habits that gives employees more say over which devices they use at work. “What has happened over the last several years is that employees are in a position in many companies to choose their own technology that is the best for them,” Cook said. “That is a huge advantage for Apple.”



While Mac and iPad have long benefitted from this shift, the shiny new opportunity is with Vision Pro, which launches in stores on Friday for $3,500 each, he said. The headset offers access to more than 1 million apps, of which 600 were specifically created for the device. In the call, Cook cited a “very cool merchandising app” from <a href="https://fortune.com/company/walmart/" target="_blank">Walmart</a>, along with apps that employees from unnamed companies can use when working out in the field and for controlling equipment. <a href="https://fortune.com/company/nike/" target="_blank">Nike</a>, <a href="https://fortune.com/company/vanguard/" target="_blank">Vanguard</a>, <a href="https://fortune.com/company/sap/" target="_blank">SAP</a>, and Bloomberg were also name-checked during the call as working to bring the Vision Pro to their customers and employees.&nbsp;



“It’s some of the most innovative things I’ve seen come out of enterprise in a long time,” Cook said, adding “I think there will be a great opportunity for us in enterprise.”



However, he avoided any specific predictions about Vision Pro sales, to businesses or otherwise.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In the past, companies selling smart wearable technologies have often pivoted to corporate sales after slow consumer adoption. For example, Meta <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/11/metas-next-enterprise-push-is-into-the-metaverse/?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHZLtbfykJVBElwNF_pbTHRLIhmOchJ0Oy1vmBTaO4EIoWJakmwy24zhzjrthJ2WX5T6irvqi_6X47Hv6dSWPC-2D-CiNnNNm9kaFaPlnMEPvSsWBinyBXKOAvqbdievMzFVVH9k7JaCPmu4jWT9aC5NPUoKs5ttcRqQVTx-OpMm">tried to woo businesses</a> into adopting its Meta Quest Pro virtual reality headset in 2022 with a slew of enterprise services, including integrations with <a href="https://fortune.com/company/microsoft/" target="_blank">Microsoft</a> Teams and Windows 365. But the move doesn’t appear to have made a dent. Meta’s Reality Labs division, which includes revenue from Quest Pro, posted a record quarterly operating loss on Thursday. Meanwhile, Alphabet’s smart glasses product <a href="https://fortune.com/2015/07/22/google-glass-enterprise/">Google Glass</a>, and once hot augmented-reality startup <a href="https://fortune.com/2020/10/01/peggy-johnson-magic-leap-enterprise-pivot/">Magic Leap</a>, also pivoted in recent years to selling to corporations after sales to consumers stalled.



In its fiscal first-quarter earnings on Thursday, Apple slightly beat Wall Street’s expectations for revenue and earnings, posting $120 billion in sales, up 2% from the same time last year, reversing four straight quarters of declines. Net income was $33.9 billion, up 13% from the same period last year. However, the Greater China market—which is suffering from economic turmoil and a shift to cheaper Chinese-made phones—still presents a challenge, with sales in the region down 13% year over year.&nbsp;



Apple’s shares fell 3% in after-hours trading at $180.89 per share.</div>

The $3,500 headset will be available in stores on Friday.

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