Vivo unveils its first mixed reality headset Vivo Vision. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese smartphone vendor Vivo unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Vivo Vision, positioning it as a direct competitor to Apple's Vision Pro in both design and interaction.

Yet the mixed reality market remains far from mature. Even Apple has struggled to move beyond a niche audience with its device, which starts at $3,500. According to the market research firm International Data Corp, global sales of Apple's Vision Pro remained under one million units in 2023. The entire global mixed reality market is only expected to surpass 10 million units this year.

Vivo's entry, however, appears aimed beyond the headset itself.

"Mixed reality could become an ideal interactive device in future robotic scenarios," Hu Baishan, executive vice-president of Vivo, said. He suggested that while mixed reality meets short-term user needs—such as large-screen and immersive experiences—in the long run, it may serve as the "eyes and brain" of home robots.

"We've already spent five years developing this technology," Hu said.

In March of this year, Vivo publicly shared progress in robotics R&D and announced the establishment of the Vivo Robotics Lab. The lab focuses on developing intelligent decision-making systems (the "brain") and spatial perception systems (the "eyes") for robots.