Brits discover BIG difference between Apple tech in the UK and US – and they’re fuming
THE Apple Vision Pro headset is finally available to pre-order in the UK, with the product set to hit shelves on 12 July.
But Brits have noticed a big difference between the headsets being sold in the UK and the ones being sold in the US.
Across the Atlantic, the Apple Vision Pro goggles cost $3,499 (£2,759).
But the price for the same headset in the UK is roughly £700 higher at an eye-watering £3,499 ($4,434).
Fans have reportedly already been bringing back the device from the US in an attempt to not only get it before it launched in the UK but to save money as well.
There is no difference in the gadgets beyond their price.
And it’s safe to say onlookers aren’t happy.
“What am I missing…? It’s cheaper to fly the US, have a little holiday and buy the same @Apple Vision Pro than to order this in the UK,” former NHS doctor Dr Bilal Hassam wrote on X (formerly Twitter)
“£3499 = $4420. Cheapest return flight to New York, around £300 = $379.”
Another frustrated Apple fan wrote: “In my opinion an apple product should cost the same price regardless of the location.
“Vision Pro should be £2,760 in the UK as it’s $3,499 in the US.”
The prices of Apple products can vary from country to country due to a number of factors.
But prices in the UK tend to be higher than those in the US because of value-added tax (VAT) imposed by the UK government.
Most goods and services have a VAT rate of 20 per cent – meaning the cost is roughly that same percentage higher.
George Jijiashvili, senior principal analyst at Omdia, told the Daily Mail he reckons Apple has a “pricing strategy” that may also bump the price in the UK due to exchange rates.
In recent years, Apple products have typically had the same dollar to pounds for a product – for example, the iPhone 15 costs $799/£799.
The Sun has contacted Apple for comment.
What is the Vision Pro?
By Sean Keach, Head of Technology and Science
APPLE’S first-ever “spatial computer” is finally going on sale for Brits.
The Apple Vision Pro headset launched was announced last summer – and hit stores in February this year, but only in the United States.
I’ve had the chance to try out Vision Pro several times, and it’s like stepping into the future. It’s the closest thing we’ve got to a time machine.
You can read all about my early Vision Pro thoughts here – but here’s a quick recap on what the Vision Pro headset does, and why it matters.
The device augments your vision to see an invisible layer on the world that no one else can. This has endless uses.
The obvious one is that you could stick a giant 100-inch cinema screen on your ceiling without having to worry about hoisting it up, having it fall on you, or footing the bill for such an enormous display.
These virtual screens aren’t good for just movies, but playing video games and exploring immersive virtual worlds too.
Not only that! The headset can let you work on your laptop with floating windows in front of you – taking inputs from your actual keyboard and mouse.
The headset also functions as a “spatial camera” that lets you take immersive 3D photos and videos.
And you can use the headset to feel as though you’re back in that moment in an eerily realistic way.
The quality of the visuals are impressive, with a custom display system that delivers more pixels than a 4K TV to each eye.