We've had a bit of time now to calm done from WWDC 2023 but the Apple Vision Pro headset still has us full of barely-contained excitement for the future of multiple realities.
Other VR headsets are designed pretty much exclusively for gaming, but Apple describes the Vision Pro as a "Spatial Computer" to change the way you work and play. Tim Cook described the reveal as "a new era for computing" so no pressure guys.
With a release not until 2024 (when Apple will also supposedly be releasing the new Air Tags), we've got a while to wait, if you're similarly counting the days to release, check back here regularly and we'll bring you all the latest Vision Pro news.
Price & release date
Ok first off, the bad news. This isn't a cheap headset, in fact, it is priced way beyond the likes of the PSVR2 and the upcoming Meta Quest 3 which will be revealed in September and is expected to start at £499.
The Apple Vision Pro is $3499. Ouch. At least for the moment, this is not going to be a product for regular users. That price is not including sales tax as well (and maybe not even a headband), so in the UK that price will likely be closer to £4000. Although if that's not enough for you, there's always the $40,000 version.
Perhaps it is the price that has caused Apple itself to lower its own expectations. There were talk of the Vision Pro being expected to sell millions of units quickly, but now Apple would apparently take half a million. This fits as well with reported stock issues for the headset.
Pricing doesn't get any more palatable when it comes to apps. On phones they are normally free or very small purchases but there has been word that they could cost as much as PS5 games.
As for the release date, WWDC mentioned an early 2024 launch in the US. Apple itself has clarified that the Vision Pro has not yet been authorised as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which explains the delay in the demo to release date. As for the rest of the world, we will likely have to wait a little bit longer.
Google has also reportedly cancelled its rival to the Vision Pro, but Samsung, Google and Snapdragon are all collaborating on a headset so Apple may need to get moving. In fact Samsung head TM Roh confirmed that the trio aren't developing a standalone product but a whole ecosystem of XR (extended reality) devices. Leaked images however suggested this rival isn't quite going to look as good as the vision pro, but specs wise it sounds interesting with a Google-powered OS.
Apple is in fairness focusing elsewhere right now, with the expected release of the iPhone 15 range in September a pretty big deal.
Design
As a high-end product, Apple has of course pulled out all the stops when it comes to the Vision Pro's design. It resembles a set of ski goggles more than a headset and definitely has less bulk than competitors.
How has Apple achieved this? Well firstly through its traditional design excellence – the front of the headset is composed solely of one piece of glass while the frame is made of lightweight aluminium. But also through a slightly more controversial design choice. The battery pack of the headset is external, demos at WWDC showed users' headsets connected by a wire to a battery pack around their waist. This reduces weight and helps battery life, but sadly doesn't give you a truly wireless experience.
Apple has also confirmed that it will be possible to customise the fit of the Vision Pro, stating the "Light Seal (the cushion around the front of the headset) is made of a soft textile, and comes in a range of shapes and sizes, flexing to conform to a user’s face for a precise fit."
The most striking element of the Vision Pro's design is the transparent front of the device, you can see the user's eyes. Apple's Eyesight technology will blur VR and AR technology together keeping experiences immersive while also helping "users stay connected with those around them."
Display & audio
The Apple Vision Pro packs a serious screen. Each eye will have its own 4K display for over 23 million pixels total, pretty useful when Apple states you can make the screen "feel 100 feet wide."
These amazing displays can be used to interact with a 3D user interface and even watch 3D movies. With the audio performance too, this could be the definitive way to watch movies.
Speaking of audio, Vision Pro will use two individually amplified "Audio Pods" on either side of the user's head to deliver a groundbreaking spatial audio experience that matches the immersion of VR and AR experiences. At WWDC Apple also teased "Audio Ray Tracing" which scans the environment in your play area to deliver the best performance possible.
Specs & OS
Under the hood Apple has fitted the Reality Pro with brand new silicon, the Apple R1 processor, as well as something more familiar to Mac users, the M2 chip. The R1 will process information from the sensors while the M2 provides the power for everything else.
Although similar to iOS to look at, the headset will also feature a brand-new operating system dubbed VisionOS that Apple has designed to "support the low-latency requirements of spatial computing" This low latency could combat the motion sickness many get from similar headsets.
VisionOS will let you have multiple operating windows open at once and it also has its own App Store with both productivity and entertainment-focused offerings. Expect to see the usual Apple offerings like Safari and Apple Music as well as a host of games from Apple Arcade.
It's also been discovered that the headset will have a dedicated Airplane Mode that will change how some of the features behave and how you interact (presumably because there is less space).
Battery
As mentioned before, the Vision Pro will support an external battery, around the size of a small remote control, Apple stated it will last for two hours at a time. Expect some people to carry spares and change them over while the other charges.
This is somewhat disappointing but luckily you will also be able to plug the headset in and use it from there indefinitely, especially if you plan on watching a whole movie in one sitting.
With external battery packs, perhaps Apple will eventually sell larger ones as an accessory.
