With the Apple Vision Pro almost in the hands of U.S. fans, we still don’t know if or when the device will come to Australia – or the rest of the world, for that matter. Pricing outside of the U.S. hasn’t been confirmed for any territory at the time of writing. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get one in Australia… Though you probably shouldn’t jump at the opportunity to buy a grey import. In related news: Kogan is flogging grey imports.
We’ve been through this song and dance before. Last year, Kogan started to sell Steam Decks on its website, along with its subsidiary Dick Smith (yes, if you didn’t know, Kogan bought it in 2016). Naturally, the incredible editor at our sister site Kotaku Australia, David Smith, wrote about the dangers of buying a grey import. When Kogan started to sell updated models of the Steam Deck, Kotaku Australia naturally reaffirmed concerns.
The warranty is the biggest issue; because these are unofficial imports, they are not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Apple in Australia won’t be able to help you with your Vision Pro if you run into issues. Kogan may offer the devices with a vendor’s warranty, but because it’s not Apple selling it, or an authorised product for sale in Australia, the full warranty you might be expecting isn’t available. It may also be difficult to have the device repaired after the warranty period, especially if the device is not officially set for sale in Australia by that time.
In the warranty section of the Vision Pro page on Kogan’s website, the online retailer notes that a one-year warranty is offered, however, refunds and exchanges are not offered for change of mind. Additionally, while there might be warranty documents inside the box, Kogan notes that “some warranties provided by manufacturers of imported goods may not apply in Australia.”
Comfortable with that? Yeah, cool. Because there’s no wall plug included in the box, at least customers won’t have to worry about having the right charger. It’s all USB-C, the way things should be, so it’ll charge from anything provided that it’s a USB-C port.
You may, however, run into hangups on the software side. Because the device is currently only authorised by Apple for sale in the U.S., there may be certain apps and experiences that are region-locked.
And finally, possibly the most glaring issue for some, the Vision Pro may officially come to Australia soon. Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tipped two weeks ago that the Vision Pro could be announced for markets outside of the U.S. before WWDC 2024, Apple’s software-focused June event. This could bring lower prices, but would definitely bring an Australia-specific warranty.
If you’re comfortable with all of that, then go your hardest. You can pick up a 256GB model for $6,399, a 512GB model for $6,649, or a 1TB model for $6,999. Discounts are available for Kogan First subscribers, with devices to move from warehouses by March 1.
Personally, I think the biggest problem is that the headset just doesn’t have anything good on it, whereas you can pick up a Meta Quest 2 or Meta Quest 3 and have an absolute ball playing a bunch of great games for a fraction of the cost. Apple isn’t posturing its headset as a gaming device, and is instead offering it as a gorgeous monitor (‘spatial computer’) you wear on your face.
That’s a boring pitch for a $6,399 grey import.
Image: Apple