Apple unveils its ‘mixed reality’ headset, the US$3,500 Vision Pro

LATE last night, Apple finally showed off the Vision Pro, its first mixed reality headset. It enters a market so far dominated by Meta – though the Facebook parent company has yet to make inroads with mainstream customers who are still sceptical of these headsets. 

This is the most significant product launch by Apple since the Apple Watch in 2015, as it has focused on iterating its hardware and software in the years in between. 

With a hefty price of US$3,499, the Vision Pro is most definitely aimed towards the high end – customers willing to spend big to be part of a new technological wave. This is generally how Apple does things, coming in later with an expensive piece of well engineered kit, before eventually bringing prices down.

“Today marks the beginning of a new era for computing,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Just as the Mac introduced us to personal computing, and iPhone introduced us to mobile computing, Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing.

"Built upon decades of Apple innovation, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before – with a revolutionary new input system and thousands of groundbreaking innovations. It unlocks incredible experiences for our users and exciting new opportunities for our developers.”

Interestingly, Apple refrained from calling the device a virtual reality headset, probably aware of the baggage that term brings, all the false promises of a tech that has been talked about for decades but has never caught on with the average consumer. 

Apple referred to the Vision Pro as a spatial computer, coming towards the end of its Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California, where the tech giant also announced a host of updates for its range of products. 

With years of development, the Vision Pro has a focus on gaming, streaming video and conferencing, but comes at it differently from the rival headsets. 

Apple demonstrated that with a twist of the ‘crown’ on the headset, a user can go from having interactive imagery augment their surroundings to becoming fully immersed in a 3-D environment. 

The design itself is classic Apple, with thought out minimalism and a focus on simplicity as to not overwhelm the user, despite all the technology crammed into the headset. 

The device has a glass front, an aluminium frame, five sensors, 12 cameras, a display for each eye, and a computer that is cooled with a fan. Looking like futuristic ski goggles, the headset is plugged into a power source in an effort to remain slim. 

There is also a battery pack that can be slipped into a pocket, but it only has a battery life of two hours. 

The two displays are tuned to each wearer's eyes, which means they can be used without eyeglasses, as well as being able to identify the users with optical identification.

Apple has also taken steps into making the Vision Pro acceptable by a wider audience by making the user’s eyes visible to other people so they can see what you’re looking at. The user can also see who is nearby, and even look them in the eyes and have a conversation.

In terms of media, Cook was joined by Disney CEO Bob Iger who confirmed that Disney+ will be available at launch, with users able to watch content in an immersive experience. 100 video games are also planned to be available on launch date. 

Apple’s biggest competitor, Meta recently announced its latest headset, the Quest 3, for late this year, with a much more affordable price of US$500. That being said, the social media giant has yet to find much success in the metaverse.

While sometimes late to the party with new technology, Apple is also able to make a big splash in mainstreaming previously niche products – they dominate when it comes to tablets and are a leader in wearable tech. 

Scheduled for release in early 2024, in the US at first, Apple is taking its time with the Vision Pro. Who knows when it will show up in Malaysia, let alone whether it will usher in mainstream acceptance of mixed reality headsets. – The Vibes, June 6, 2023