At a staggering price of $3,499, Apple Inc. is set to test consumer willingness to invest significant amounts in its highly anticipated mixed-reality headset. Which the company envisions as the future of computing. Unveiled at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The Vision Pro headset marks Apple’s entry into a major new product category since the launch of smartwatches in 2015. Introduced with the iconic phrase “one more thing” associated with Steve Jobs. This ambitious venture also presents one of the riskiest endeavours in Apple’s history.
During an extensive presentation, Apple showcased the headset’s diverse range of features and highlighted planned content. Including games and interactive videos in collaboration with Walt Disney Co. Resembling advanced ski goggles, the device will operate on its own operating system, visionOS, and will have a dedicated App Store. The scheduled release is expected early next year in the United States, followed by subsequent availability in other regions.
More broadly, it aims to change how people interact with the world. Apple has long been seeking a new platform to take it beyond the iPhone and iPad, and this could be that path. The wearable device mixes virtual and augmented reality. Moreover, meaning it can fully engross a user in content with high-resolution displays. Ideal for video watching – or overlay apps on top of the wearer’s field of view. Letting messages and notifications pop up without overwhelming the person.
“It’s the first Apple product you look through and not at,” Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said during the presentation.
The new interface of the Apple Vision Pro headset is referred to as “spatial computing.” One notable feature, called EyeSight, displays an image of your eyes on the exterior of the headset when individuals are nearby. This allows users to see those people within their field of vision while wearing the device. That aims to maintain a connection with the external world.
Similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, the headset includes a control mechanism. That can switch between augmented and virtual reality experiences. Apple conducted extensive research on thousands of individuals. To ensure the headset’s comfort and has filed over 5,000 patents related to its development. The device is equipped with two primary chips: an M2 processor, derived from the Mac. Which handles core computing tasks, and an R1 chip which collaborates with dedicated sensors to enable mixed-reality capabilities.
