Following years of hype and persistent rumors, Apple announced the Vision Pro mixed reality headset earlier this year to frenzied reactions from fans and the media alike. It was always expected to be launched sometime next year, but a new report now claims that it could hit the market by February 2024.

The report comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who says the manufacturing of Apple's first AR/VR product is running "at full speed at facilities in China" for the past few weeks. According to him, the retail units of the Vision Pro will be ready by the end of January before hitting the store shelves the following month. Gurman added that the company emailed App Store developers this week, encouraging them to "get ready" for the upcoming device "by testing their apps with the latest tools and sending their software to Apple for feedback."

Gurman had earlier reported that as part of Apple's preparations for the Vision Pro launch event at its Cupertino headquarters, the company was training Apple Store staff on how to demo the Vision Pro's features to potential customers. The seminars are expected to be held in January, a month before the device is expected to hit the market. As per the report, only a few staff members from each store will be trained at Cupertino, and they will then return to their respective stores and share their training with their colleagues.

Despite its astronomical price-tag, the Vision Pro will reportedly be at the center of Apple's product strategy next year. In his latest newsletter, Gurman claimed that even though Apple will release several new iPads, MacBooks, and iPhones in 2024, the headset will be its biggest focus over the next 12 months. Apple will also reportedly prioritize its upcoming wearables, including the 4th-gen AirPods and the next-gen Apple Watch models that could feature blood pressure monitoring and sleep apnea detection.