This holiday season, the Meta Quest series of AR and VR headsets are becoming highly sought-after gifts, as the Meta Horizon companion app climbs to the top of the iPhone App Store in both the US and globally. This surge in interest is likely fueled by the launch of the Meta Quest 3S, an affordable yet efficient model priced at $299.
In addition, the Amazon Alexa app has also gained traction in the Top Free app charts, as Echo speakers remain popular gift options. Furthermore, AirPods and the Apple Watch are expected to be among the most commonly unwrapped gifts this Christmas, though the App Store does not provide insights into the sales figures for Apple’s products.
The reason for this lack of visibility is that AirPods do not require a companion app, with their features embedded directly into the operating system. The Apple Watch has a Watch app on the iPhone, yet it is pre-installed and thus not represented in App Store rankings or trending analysis.
Information on Vision Pro is also scarce for similar reasons; however, it’s unlikely that Apple’s $3,500 headset will emerge as a popular gift choice for most households. In contrast, the Meta Quest lineup is more affordable and accessible for users of all ages, offering a variety of entertaining games suitable for family play on Christmas Day.
Additionally, reports suggest that Apple is considering a partnership with Sony to enable PSVR controller compatibility with Vision Pro, aiming to boost VR game availability for its visionOS platform. However, demand may remain modest until more budget-friendly versions of the headset are released.
Despite this, Apple is not reliant on the Vision Pro for its financial success. The company will reveal its holiday sales figures during the quarterly earnings call in January, where a blend of iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Mac sales is expected to generate billions in revenue.
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