Apple’s Vision Pro headset likely to face trademark issues in China - South China Morning Post

Apple may face some trademark and marketing issues in China with its mixed-reality Vision Pro headset given that Huawei Technologies registered the name three years ago on the mainland, according to local media reports and public trademark records.

Shenzhen-based Huawei trademarked “Vision Pro” in China in 2021, covering a wide range of goods and services including virtual reality (VR) headsets and wearable video displays, according to records at the Trademark Office of China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).

Huawei has exclusive rights to the name “Vision Pro” in the country until November 2031.

According to CNIPA, the US tech giant applied for trademark rights to the brand “Vision Pro” last year and it is currently in the “refusal to re-examine” phase. Apple also applied to trademark the brand name “Apple Vision Pro” last June and this is still under examination.

Apple to expand applied research operations in Shanghai and Shenzhen

Huawei’s first smart eyewear device, “Vision Glass”, was introduced in December 2022, and it has also launched a range of smart TV screens under the Vision brand.

Following the US release of Apple’s Vision Pro in February, local media reported that Huawei is preparing to launch similar headsets.

Li Nan, a former marketing director at Chinese smartphone brand Meizu, shared a post on Weibo outlining what a mooted Huawei Vision headset may look like.

According to Li’s Weibo post, Huawei may use a home-grown chip to power its new VR headset. Late last year, Huawei launched its 5G-capable Mate 60 series, equipped with a powerful domestic chip, the Kirin 9000S, which has been hailed by Chinese netizens as symbolic of China’s ability to defy tough US sanctions.

Li also mentioned Huawei’s headset device may be as light as 350 grams, which is almost half the weight of Apple’s Vision Pro. Li also said the price of Huawei’s headset could be around 15,000 yuan (US$2,090), which is almost half of the price of Apple’s Vision Pro.

Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest development of its headsets.

Aside from these potential trademark issues, Apple has faced growing challenges in China from local tech rivals.

Apple’s iPhone sales in China plunged by nearly a quarter in the first six weeks of 2024 year on year, according to data from Counterpoint Research. The US firm holds 15.7 per cent of the Chinese market and ranks fourth after Vivo, Huawei, and Honor. Meanwhile, Huawei achieved a 64 per cent jump in sales, giving it 16.5 per cent of the market during the same period.

The Shenzhen lab is expected to boost Apple’s testing and research capabilities for its major products including the iPhone, iPad and Vision Pro headset, according to the company.

It also plans to expand its research centre in Shanghai to support all of its product lines.

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