Apple Vision Pro to sell in China, Japan and Singapore by end of this month in first debut outside the U.S.

Apple announced on Tuesday that it will launch its flagship virtual reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore on June 28.

The Asian markets represent the gadget's debut outside of the United States, with pre-orders beginning on Friday.

The VR headset first became available for purchase in the U.S. four months ago, with a starting price of $3,499. The Vision Pro will sell for its highest asking price in China, one of Apple's most vital markets, with a base cost of 29,999 yuan ($4,190). 

In the country, Apple will need to navigate the government's tight regulations on content. Apps popular on the Vision Pro in the U.S. such as Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video are unavailable in China. 

Instead, the American tech giant said Tuesday that local developers and internet companies in China will launch new apps and games for the Apple Vision Pro. That includes Chinese tech giant Tencent, which will provide its video streaming app Tencent Video, and ByteDance, which will launch a VR version of Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. 

Apple will also need to compete with local rivals working on VR technologies, such as Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer Oppo.

But there have already been some indications of demand for the Vision Pro in China, with a gray market for the headset sprouting. According to a CNBC search on the Alibaba-owned online flea market app Xianyu, Vision Pros are selling for up to double their official price. 

"The enthusiasm for Apple Vision Pro has been extraordinary, and we are thrilled to introduce the magic of spatial computing to more customers around the world," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in the Tuesday statement. 

Still, the company's announcement comes amid reports of waning