Apple’s Vision Pro has famously not been as big a hit as Apple initially hoped, but that has not stopped rivals including Vivo from taking cues from Apple’s headset.
China’s Vivo has just announced its Vision headset, which has several elements in common with the Vision Pro, announced in June 2023.
It shares the Vision Pro’s dark-but-shiny front panel, its cable-tethered battery pack, similar use of colour and a corrugated look to the rear head strap design. To those familiar with VR headsets, the likeness is unmistakeable.
There are some signs the Vivo Vision may bear some of improvements made possible by arriving two years later, though. The main body of the headset appears a little less bulky than Apple’s, and there’s no sign of a front-mounted screen. That was one of the less well-received elements of Apple’s headset.
Vivo’s unveiling of the Vision headset served as just that, though, an unveiling. It has not yet announced technical specs for the device, like its processor, screen panel tech or resolution.
A pair of downward-facing cameras suggest the headset may use advanced hand tracking gestures, though, as seen in Apple’s Vision Pro. The use of an external battery pack also implies it will have its own fairly powerful processor and baked-in interface. A headset that needs to be plugged in at all times might as well be plugged in for power too.
Vivo is expected to give the headset a full introduction in mid-2025.
In its statement, Vivo suggested the mixed reality headset will be positioned as both a consumer device and to develop “the “brain” and “eyes” of robots.”
The headset was announced as part of a Boao Forum event, held in Hainan.
It’s easy to underestimate the importance of Vivo from a western perspective. According to Counterpoint Research data for Q4 2024, Vivo commands 8% of global market share for smartphones, positioning it behind only Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi.
Vivo is part of BBK Electronics, the umbrella company that owns OPPO, OnePlus, Realme and IQOO.
