The Apple Vision Pro, the piece of technology meant to usher us into the era of “spatial computing,” appears to have faced a series of setbacks behind the scenes, stemming not only from the technology itself but also from Apple’s management of its employees. A new book, “Rebellion: The Rise and Revolt of the Educated Working Class,” by journalist Noam Schieber, reveals that the deteriorating work environment in Apple stores over the past decade directly contributed to the disappointing launch of the glasses in early 2024. The book suggests that workforce reductions, a lack of training, and an excessive focus on sales figures left employees ill-prepared to handle such a complex product.
"Hasty" training and excessive secrecy
In a mysterious trip to Cupertino, Apple transported hundreds of employees for training on the glasses under strict non-disclosure agreements, even confiscating their phones to prevent any leaks. The aim was to maintain an “element of surprise,” but the reality in the stores was quite different. Upon their return, they were required to lead four-hour workshops, while many salespeople received only superficial training, in some cases amounting to just 20 minutes of hands-on experience with the glasses before facing the public.
This lack of preparation left employees stumbling over a complex scenario that required scanning a customer's face, selecting from 25 protective cover options, and guiding the user through eye and hand controls. Worse still, some employees were delivering presentations with unclear or blurry content without realizing it, due to simple fit errors they hadn't been trained to detect, giving customers a poor first impression of a product costing thousands of dollars.
From Jobs' philosophy to Tim Cook's numbers
The book traces a radical shift in the identity of Apple stores since Steve Jobs' departure and Tim Cook's rise to leadership. Jobs believed in building a permanent, generously compensated workforce, based on the theory that an employee who feels "second-class" will make the customer feel the same. Under Cook, however, this model has been gradually dismantled in favor of cost reduction, increased reliance on contractors, and a shift from lengthy interactive sessions to short, self-paced learning modules.
After Angela Ahrendts, who tried to preserve Jobs' spirit, left, Deirdre O'Brien pushed the stores toward more traditional retail metrics: device activation rates, accessory sales, and AppleCare+ subscriptions. Even creative roles that focused on customer education became more like direct product marketing, stripping the stores of their distinctive personal touch.
An expensive device that employees cannot afford.
Vision Pro also faced internal challenges, such as its heavy weight, limited app selection, and a starting price of $3500 that easily reached $4000 with add-ons. The shocking part was that most employees, even with a 25% discount, couldn't afford the device, meaning they didn't have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the product outside of work hours. Because the lengthy presentation script was difficult to memorize, employees were later allowed to read it on an iPad, which some considered detrimental to the experience, making it feel automated and boring.
The numbers don't lie; while Apple sold 10 million watches in its first year, Vision Pro sales barely reached 500 units in 2024. In some stores, like Towson, employees reported entire weeks without selling a single unit, sometimes even recording negative sales figures due to high returns. In a desperate attempt to salvage the experience, some stores relaxed their sales guidelines, allowing employees to improvise rather than stick to a script, and even lowering the minimum age for try-on participants, but none of this helped the glasses overcome their difficult reality.
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