Apple’s first mixed-reality headset has been out for a while now. Soon after its US-only release, the Vision Pro set the sales chart on fire. And the Cupertino giant is gearing up to make the device available in more countries.
However, with Huawei having registered the name for the mixed-reality Vision Pro headset three years ago in China, Apple may encounter trademark and marketing challenges in China with Vision Pro. Apple might have to rename its headset in China.
In 2021, Huawei filed for a trademark in China for Vision Pro, which includes a wide range of products and services, including wearable video displays and VR headsets. Up until November 2031, Huawei is the only company authorized to use the name Vision Pro in China.
Apple is currently in the “refusal to re-examine” phase of its trademark application process for the Vision Pro name, which it filed for last year. In June of last year, Apple also submitted a trademark application for the moniker Apple Vision Pro, which is currently under review.
In December 2022, Huawei unveiled Vision Glass, the company’s first smart eyewear device. The Vision lineup has since expanded to include several smart TV displays.
Following Apple’s Vision Pro’s debut in the US, rumors started surfacing online suggesting that Huawei is getting ready to introduce similar headsets.
Li Nan, the former marketing director of Meizu, a Chinese smartphone company, posted a mockup of a potential Huawei Vision headset on Weibo. The post suggests that Huawei would power its upcoming VR headset with an in-house chip.
It also highlighted that Huawei’s headset might weigh as little as 350 grams, or almost half as much as Apple’s Vision Pro. Moreover, the device might cost roughly 15,000 yuan ($2,090), nearly half as much as the Vision Pro’s $3,499 starting price.