Apple is Launching Its First New Device in a Decade
The revolutionary new headset should be available in early 2024.
Apple announced a long-awaited foray into augmented reality with the unveiling of the Apple Vision Pro, the company's new virtual reality headset, during its Worldwide Developers Conference today. The headset marks Apple's first major device launch in nine years, since the the Apple Watch first debuted in 2014.
The device is being described as a "revolutionary spatial computer" that "seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world," allowing users to switch between augmented and full virtual reality using a dial. Instead of the use of physical controllers, typical of virtual reality headsets currently on the market, the Vision Pro operates with a three-dimensional interface that allows users to navigate and click using hand and eye movements, as well as Siri voice recognition.
Performance-wise, the Apple Vision Pro is powered by a unique dual-chip design. The M2 is already being used in newer MacBook Air MacBook Pro models, while a brand-new R1 chip streams images to the display within 12 milliseconds, eight times faster than the blink of a human eye. The R1 is likewise supported by input from 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones.
The fan-cooled computer is designed for all-day use when plugged in, and can be used for up to two hours with its high-performance external battery.
Also unlike most virtual reality headsets, the headset will display a user's eyes employing a system called EyeSight. When operating in full VR, however, the screen will glow to indicate that the user is not available.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era for computing,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook during the event. “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," Cook added. "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.”
The device most closely resembles a pair of ski goggles, with a bubble-like glass front, aluminum frame, and cloth-lined headset mask and strap that can be modified to fit a variety of face shapes and head sizes. For those who wear glasses, custom optical inserts magnetically attach to lenses to keep them in place.
The Apple Vision Pro will start at $3,499, with U.S. availability expected early next year on the company's website and at retail stores nationwide.