Erin Snodgrass

<ul><li>People are already losing interest in Apple's Vision Pro, a new Bloomberg report says.</li><li>Apple's $3,500 virtual-reality headset is a niche device that has drawn mixed reviews.&nbsp;</li><li>Despite an initial sales surge, the device has been criticized for its impracticality.</li></ul>

The long-awaited virtual-reality device prompted long lines at Apple stores and an initial surge in sales back in February, but <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-04-21/apple-aapl-growth-opportunities-southeast-asia-and-africa-lower-end-iphone-lv9itkna?sref=yaJhKSOh">Bloomberg's Mark Gurman</a> reported Sunday that the early buzz around the accessory had quickly waned.

That's bad news for Apple, which spent eight years and billions of dollars creating the Vision Pro. The device boasts a hefty $3,500 price tag, making it a certified specialty item and keeping it out of reach for many of Apple's typical customers.

Gurman reported that the Vision Pro was unlikely to make the company any real money for years to come and that the number of people seeking demos for the device had dipped since February.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The device sold 180,000 units alone during a January preorder weekend.

Apple has seemingly responded to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-vision-pro-meta-quest-teens-not-using-survey-games-2024-4">growing disinterest</a> by boosting marketing around the device, evidenced by the Vision Pro's prime placement on the company's website.

<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/VisionPro/">Reddit forums</a> dedicated to the device include frustrated users complaining the device is impractical in everyday life and uncomfortable to wear. The Vision Pro requires its wearer to attach a battery, start the device, and move through its interface each use.

Gurman noted that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/my-apple-vision-pro-nightmare-surveillance-privacy-2024-3">VR devices</a> had in the past faced similar struggles in keeping buyers interested and engaged after the novelty wore off.

BI's Jordan Hart foresaw some of those issues back in February, writing that she was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/apple-vision-pro-review">running out of reasons to wear the Vision Pro</a> after just one week. Gurman shared a similar sentiment, saying he'd gone from wearing it regularly to just once or twice a week because it was "too cumbersome to use on a daily basis."

The reported decreased interest in Apple's shiniest new toy has come as the company juggles a multitude of other setbacks and struggles, including faltering revenue sources and regulatory skepticism.

Some tech devotees already seem to be losing interest in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-vision-pro-first-impressions-2024-2">Apple's Vision Pro</a> justmonths after the futuristic headset hit the market.

Apple fans may already be moving on from the Vision Pro

<ul><li>Frontier Airlines is giving passengers the option to pay for an empty middle seat.</li><li>The airline announced it will allow customers to pay extra to sit in rows with only two passengers.</li><li>The&nbsp;"UpFront Plus" seating upgrade starts at $49 and will be available on April flights.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Frontier Group Holdings Inc., which owns the ultra-low-cost Frontier Airlines, <a href="https://ir.flyfrontier.com/news-releases/news-release-details/frontier-airlines-introduces-new-upfront-plus-seating-guaranteed">announced</a> Tuesday that it will allow customers to pay extra to sit in specially designated rows that block off <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-avoid-the-worst-seat-on-plane-2018-5">the middle seat.</a>

Aisle-dwellers and window-seat devotees with a little extra dough to spend will be able to bypass the infamous tight quarters of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/frontier-airlines-ranks-most-likely-to-bump-passengers-from-flights-2023-8">Frontier's flights</a> starting next Month, the company's CEO announced at a Tuesday industry conference, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-12/frontier-airlines-new-upgrade-promises-no-one-sits-in-middle-seat-ulcc?srnd=homepage-americas&amp;sref=yaJhKSOh">according to Bloomberg</a>.

The "UpFront Plus" upgrade option starts at $49 and will be available on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wsj-frontiers-1999-all-you-can-fly-pass-2023-7">Frontier</a> flights starting April 10. That price is being marketed as a special introductory offer. It was not immediately clear how much the upgrade would cost after the promotion ends.&nbsp;

In addition to more elbow room, the perk promises extra legroom and comfort, a seat located in the first two rows of the aircraft, and the benefit of being first to receive inflight service, the company said.

"Many consumers strongly prefer a seating option that offers extra space when flying," Barry Biffle, CEO of Frontier Airlines, said in a Tuesday press release. "Frontier is all about choice and giving consumers the flexibility to customize their travel to suit their individual needs and preferences."

Biffle said Tuesday that the upgrade — as well as new premium economy and business class offerings on the airline — will "give the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/frontier-airlines-launches-upgraded-seating-1033155475">company a revenue boost</a>," Bloomberg reported.&nbsp;

The move comes as airlines seek to keep money coming in amid uneasy travel patterns in recent years. On budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit, every step of the trip is monetized, from baggage check-in to printed boarding passes to purchasing water.

Larger airlines have also tried to turn specialized seating into money makers, with carriers like Delta, United, and American increasingly segmenting their cabins and charging more for advanced seat selection.

Frontier Airlines is offering a new seating upgrade. Seung Heo/ iStock

Fliers will soon be able to enjoy the ensured luxury of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-viral-video-plane-etiquette-rules-armrests-jackets-overhead-spreading-2023-4">both armrests</a> on their next budget flight.

You can soon pay to avoid sharing armrests on this airline

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Erin Snodgrass

Articles written by the author

Apple fans may already be moving on from the Vision Pro

You can soon pay to avoid sharing armrests on this airline