In 2023, Apple officially launched its first head-mounted display, the Vision Pro. Priced at $3,499 (approximately 24,000 RMB), this device boasted a 23-megapixel micro-OLED screen and two chips, the M2 and R1. The tech community widely anticipated a new arms race in the mixed reality (MR) space.
However, two years later, in August 2025, Vivo officially released its first mixed reality headset, the Vision Explorer Edition, becoming the first major Chinese smartphone manufacturer to rival the Apple Vision Pro. Why, aside from Apple and Vivo, have other major smartphone manufacturers been hesitant to launch this form factor product and take the plunge?
Mark Gurman has noted that Apple's Vision Pro headset faces a "dilemma." First, sales have been lukewarm since its release; he estimates that US shipments of the headset are "well under 1 million units." Second, its immersive video library is extremely limited.
The Apple Vision Pro's struggles stem fundamentally from a disproportionate price and user experience. Despite integrating cutting-edge hardware like the M2 chip and Micro OLED screen, this $3,499 device, priced at $3,499, has experienced a poor market response for a number of reasons.
One reason is the "poor user experience." The Apple Vision Pro weighs 650 grams, equivalent to balancing an iPad Pro on your head, and users commonly report experiencing cheek and neck pain after half an hour. Furthermore, its external battery only lasts for two hours, a significant disincentive for users to take it with them.
Immersive video is a key selling point for headsets, but the Apple Vision Pro's immersive video library is quite limited. For example, the 2025 NBA All-Star Game concluded six months ago, yet the Vision Pro only features highlights from the 2024 All-Star Game.
While Apple was experimenting with the Vision Pro, Vivo continued its technological development. A review of its patent portfolio and R&D activity reveals a clear path forward for its technological evolution.
CNMO has learned that since establishing its AI R&D center in 2017, Vivo has filed over 12,000 AI-related patents, 40% of which are related to computer vision. These accumulated technologies have laid the foundation for core features of MR devices, such as spatial perception and environmental modeling. Vivo also disclosed several key patents in 2024, including "interaction methods based on mixed reality" and "robot communication optimization" technology. More notably, its MR team has expanded to 500 people and plans to launch high-fidelity prototype experiences in more than a dozen cities nationwide in September 2025.
Vivo Executive Vice President Hu Bashan explicitly stated that MR technology is a critical bridge connecting the physical and digital worlds, emphasizing that industry development requires gradual progress. "Only with a solid hardware experience foundation can the ecosystem form a positive cycle."
Vivo's entry into the market in 2025 coincides with the MR technology maturity curve entering the "practical stage." Take Micro-OLED screens, for example. Their costs were still several hundred dollars in 2023, but by 2025, with mass production by domestic manufacturers like BOE and Seeya, costs had dropped by over 40%. Similarly, the maturity of interactive technologies like eye tracking and gesture recognition has significantly improved the device experience.
In terms of the market, according to Luotu Technology, in the first half of 2025, the omni-channel retail volume of consumer-grade XR devices (including VR/MR and AR) in China reached 307,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 17.6%, with retail sales reaching 990 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 21.1%. It is estimated that for the entire year of 2025, the omni-channel retail volume of XR devices in China will reach 646,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 20.6%.
Against the backdrop of the maturing domestic headset market and technology, the vivo Vision Explorer Edition is centered around the concept of "easy to enjoy," with its hardware design and interactive logic centered around user needs. The vivo Vision features a streamlined, integrated design. The front's three-dimensional geometric mirror design is both modern and technological. The body's "floating micro-slit" design cleverly conceals functional modules, creating a streamlined and sleek design. Compared to the 600-650g weight of the Apple Vision Pro, the vivo Vision weighs only 398g. Its compact size of 83mm in height and 40mm in thickness makes it portable and even fits easily into a commuter bag, making it a must-have for everyday travel.
In terms of display and interface, the vivo Vision Explorer Edition features a Micro-OLED binocular 8K True Color display, delivering a visual experience comparable to professional cinema monitors. The screen supports a P3 wide color gamut, and binocular calibration technology ensures consistent color tolerance between the two screens, resulting in more accurate detail rendering. To address the needs of nearsighted users, vivo has also customized magnetic lenses with lens sizes ranging from 100 to 1000 degrees, allowing users to flexibly change lenses based on their vision needs.
In terms of interface logic, the vivo Vision Explorer Edition achieves several breakthroughs through the OriginOS Vision system. 1.5° high-precision eye tracking technology allows users to complete actions simply by looking; 26-degree-of-freedom micro-gesture recognition and a 175° vertical recognition range further enhance the responsiveness and accuracy of hand movements.
vivo's "late arrival" reflects a profound understanding of the laws of technological iteration, market pain points, and the industry ecosystem. While Apple's experience with the Vision Pro has taught the industry to avoid wasting real money on "future fantasies," vivo chose to devote two years to accumulating technological expertise, ultimately presenting the Vision Explorer Edition to consumers.
Although the vivo Vision Explorer Edition isn't directly marketed to consumers, it undoubtedly provides a benchmark for subsequent products from vivo and other manufacturers, distinct from Apple, in terms of interaction, wearing experience, and functionality.
