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Hangzhou, China - Apple
The company's mixed reality headset began shipping in China on Friday and sells for about 18% more than in the US.
The device starts at 29,999 yuan ($4,128) in China, while the US retail price is $3,500.
A customer in Beijing named Chen told CNBC that his proposal to Apple CEO Cook was to make the Vision Pro cheaper by about 10,000 yuan ($1,376). The customer, who did not give his name for fear of speaking to foreign media, said many Chinese may prefer to buy used Vision Pros because they often get discounted prices when buying from sellers not affiliated with Apple. Many of the most popular posts about the device on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Friday focused on the hashtag "Is Chinese Vision Pro worth paying for," 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 ended March 30, according to an Apple filing.
Over the last year, Apple has faced growing competition from Huawei devices and other domestic brands, amid greater attention on national security. Chen pre-ordered the Vision Pro, picked it up at a large store in Beijing and received training on how to use it.
Retailers told CNBC that Vision Pro pre-orders for a half-hour tutorial at the Beijing Apple store from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM Friday was fully booked. Chinese companies including Tencent, Alibaba and JD.com have launched Vision Pro versions of their shopping, gaming and video apps.
