“Apple Vision Pro will change the way we communicate and collaborate,” declared Tim Cook as he unveiled the company’s first new major product since the Apple Watch.
Apple Vision Pro, introduced overnight at the company’s World Wide Developers’ Conference, is a mixed-reality headset that features 4K displays, infrared cameras, and LED illuminators, all driven by Apple’s M2 chip.
The major point of difference with Apple’s device and its competitors is that allows users to see the actual surroundings of their physical space, augmenting this with pop-up screens.
Headsets from Google and Meta envelope the face, resulting in a completely immersive experience. This isn’t what Apple is aiming for; their demonstration videos show a user walking through their home, grabbing a drink from the fridge, all while wearing the headset.
Another video shows the device being worn on a staircase – something not recommended for the more immersive AR/VR headsets.
“It’s the first product you look through, and not at,” Cook said of this feature.
“You can see, hear, and act with digital content just like it’s in your physical space. You’re no longer limited by a display.”
“You can relive your most important memories in an entirely new way. Apple Vision Pro will introduce spatial computing”.
There are no buttons, with the device being controlled with eye-movements and hand signals, as well as Siri commands. There is a dial for moving the device between a more immersive VR experience, assumedly for gaming, and the AR that allows you to move through the world. A Vision Pro feature allows real-world humans to cut into your VR experience should they enter your line of sight.
The headset is powered by a battery pack, which isn’t ideal – but given Apple wants people to wear this around during their day-to-day, removing neck strain was obviously key.
As Apple executives noted, the field of view isn’t limited on this headset.
Apple was scarce on the specifications, but the device will start at US$3,499, meaning it will be north of $5K once it reaches Australia.
Apple has only said it will be available “early next year”.
