Apple launched the Vision Pro less than a year ago. This is its first holiday season. Yet already, theres a prominent general narrative that the device has flopped. Tim Cook, however, has recently and repeatedly used three key words to defend the Vision Pros sales performance.Early adopter productTim Cook knows that everyone expects new Apple products to set instant sales records. But hes putting Vision Pro in a different category.In two recent interviews, Cook has said Vision Pro is an early adopter product.Thats what he called it back in October to The Wall Street Journal:At $3,500, its not a mass-market product, Cook says. Right now, its an early-adopter product. People who want to have tomorrows technology todaythats who its for. Fortunately, theres enough people who are in that camp that its excitingThose same talking points came out in todays new WIRED interview:Its an early adopter product,for peoplewho want tomorrows technology today. Those people are buying it, and the ecosystem is flourishing. The ultimate test for us is the ecosystem.Call it spin if you want, but I think this early adopter definition is a helpful one for understanding what Apples doing with the Vision Pro.Apples trying something it rarely gets to doApple is attempting something with Vision Pro that it never gets to do anymore.Back in its early days, no one expected Apple products to light the world on fire. In many cases, buying an Apple product meant paying a premium for something that may not be fully optimized for the masses.Thats essentially what the Vision Pro is today. But try to find another early adopter product anywhere else in Apples recent history.Apple is vastly different now than it was even a decade ago, and certainly further back. Mostly the companys wild success has been a good thing, but it also puts unique expectations on every new product, and the Vision Pro has been a recent casualty of that.Committing to Vision products for the long haulVR and AR were always going to need an ecosystem built out, and theres only so much goodwill developers could keep showing ARKit without a real product behind it.With Vision Pro, Apple gets to build in public as it works toward a stronger ecosystem and eventually a lighter, more user-friendly and budget-conscious product.Were not there yet, but thats okay.If every new Apple product has to be an immediate hit, that pressure could cripple the companys creativity. But if Apple gets to ship some early adopter products to accompany its flagship hits (e.g., iPhone), it could be a win for us all.What do you think about Tim Cooks early adopter description? Let us know in the comments.Best holiday gifts for Apple devicesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel