Apple announces Vision Pro augmented reality headset, priced at $3,499
After years of rumors suggesting that Apple would launch a virtual reality headset, that reality has arrived. Apple CEO Tim Cook debuted the high-end Vision Pro augmented reality headset at the WWDC 2023 keynote on Monday, of which it was the highlight announcement.
Apple’s Vision Pro headset will be released in early 2024, starting at a whopping $3,499. Our sibling site The Verge has first-look impressions with the Vision Pro.
Like the Meta Quest, the Vision Pro is a stand-alone headset running on its own platform, visionOS. However, it doesn’t operate with typical VR/AR controllers; it relies on users’ eye movement, hand tracking, and voice to navigate its interface. The Vision Pro has bottom-mounted cameras that allow it to track small hand gestures.
The Vision Pro has an intriguing design that borrows elements from Apple’s other products. For instance, the Digital Crown used to control the opacity of your augmented view first appeared on the Apple Watch, albeit for a completely different purpose. Its most impressive (and conversation-starting) design feature is its glass-covered exterior that can display your eyes when there’s a person nearby. If you’re busy while using the Vision Pro, onlookers will see a preview of your content laid over your eyes.
You can use apps created for the Vision Pro, or use it to connect to your Mac wirelessly. The headset is able to show a 4K display of your Mac’s screen on its headset, if you’d prefer to work that way. Notably, the Vision Pro doesn’t have a built-in battery; instead of trying to pack one in, which would have expanded its size and weight, the battery is external, and can be tucked in your pocket. Its battery can power the headset for up to two hours. Alternatively, it
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