Apple's Vision Pro starts deliveries at a higher price in China than in the U.S.

HANGZHOU, China — Apple's mixed-reality headset began deliveries successful China connected Friday with a retail terms astir 18% higher than successful the U.S. 

The instrumentality starts astatine 29,999 yuan, oregon $4,128, successful China, compared to a $3,500 retail terms successful the U.S.

When asked by CNBC, a lawsuit surnamed Chen successful Beijing said his proposition to Apple CEO Tim Cook was to marque Vision Pro cheaper by astir 10,000 yuan, oregon $1,376. The customer, who did not stock his archetypal sanction owed to concerns astir speaking with overseas media, said many radical successful China mightiness similar to bargain a secondhand Vision Pro because of the discounted terms that typically comes with purchases from sellers unaffiliated with Apple.

Many of the astir fashionable posts astir the instrumentality connected Chinese societal media level Weibo connected Friday focused connected the hashtag "is it worthy paying for the China mentation of Vision Pro," according to a CNBC translation.

CNBC has reached retired to Apple for comment.

Greater China accounted for astir 18% of Apple's gross successful the 3 months that ended March 30, according to an Apple filing.

Over the past year, Apple has faced increasing contention from Huawei devices and different home brands, amid greater attraction connected nationalist security.

Chen preordered his Vision Pro and was astatine a large store successful Beijing to prime it up and person immoderate grooming connected however to usage it.

Store salespeople told CNBC that each of Friday's half-hour grooming sessions for preorders of the Vision Pro were booked up astatine Apple stores successful Beijing — from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Chinese companies specified arsenic Tencent, Alibaba and JD.com have launched Vision Pro versions of their apps for shopping, playing games and watching videos.