Vivo Unveils ‘Vision’ MR Headset with Design and Name Similarities to Apple

Another contender in the race to replicate the Vision Pro is making its debut, and this one interestingly carries the ‘Vision’ label itself.

Vivo might not be the first name that pops into your mind, but in the realm of mid-range smartphones, this Chinese brand is a significant player. It often finds itself among the top five manufacturers by market share, bringing solid, no-nonsense devices to the table.

Today, the spotlight was on Vivo at the Boao Forum for Asia, held in China’s Hainan Province, as they unveiled their very first foray into the world of extended reality, or XR. Dubbed the Vivo Vision, this device marks a pivotal moment in the company’s journey into mixed reality, something the company emphasized in their press release. They see this as a big leap forward, not just in XR, but also as part of their broader dive into robotics and futuristic devices.

Right now, detailed information about the Vivo Vision is sparse. We’re waiting for more clarity on crucial aspects like specs, the operating system, and pricing—which are all still under wrap, not forgetting the big questions about global availability. The official unveiling isn’t anticipated until mid-2025, so patience is key.

Nonetheless, there was a model on display at Vivo’s exhibition booth at the Forum. It was hard to miss the design similarities it shares with the Apple Vision Pro. From the distinctive headstrap to the digital crown button and even to how the external battery is magnetically attached, the inspirations are clear.

Vivo’s smartphones typically operate on customized versions of Android—Funtouch OS for international markets and Origin OS within China. Given this history, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them leverage Google’s anticipated Android XR OS for their XR venture, especially as Samsung prepares to launch its own mixed reality project, ‘Project Moohan,’ powered by this new operating system. But, this is all conjecture for now.

The trend of Vision Pro look-alikes emerging from Chinese tech companies is growing. Earlier this year at CES 2025, Play for Dream caught the spotlight with their MR headset, drawing rave reviews—particularly from former Quest engineer Amanda Watson, who remarked it was “the best all-around HMD demo I saw on the floor today.” This is just one example of the burgeoning interest and innovation in the MR space from this tech-savvy nation.