Announced at WWDC 2023, Apple Vision Pro is the company's first spatial computer. And now that 2024 has arrived, the Apple Vision Pro is about to be released. Here's everything you need to know about Apple's headset: its price, features, and the new operating system, visionOS.
The release date for Apple Vision Pro is expected between the end of January and February. A sketchy leak suggests the spatial computer could be released on January 27th. That's a Saturday, so it seems beyond unlikely that the date is accurate. Other, more believable rumors have previously said the launch could be in mid-February.
That said, it's important to note that this will be a US-only release. It's currently unclear when the Apple Vision Pro will launch in international markets.
Apple Vision Pro will have a starting price of $3,499, but it's unclear what the specs will be. At this time, we don't know what the RAM capacity, maximum storage, or even what kind of M2 chip will be inside of it.
In addition, Apple has partnered with Zeiss to offer prescription lenses to users, but pricing for prescription lenses hasn't been announced yet. Other accessories and head straps also don't have any official prices at this point.
Apple Vision Pro has a premium look by adding an aluminum frame and a high-end mesh for the head, close to what the AirPods Max offers. The design goal of Vision Pro is not to be isolated but to interact with others. The EyeSight shows your eyes and expressions through the outer display.
Unlike other headsets, the enclosure is made of a singular piece of three-dimensional laminated glass that flows into an aluminum alloy frame that curves to wrap around the user's face. The Light Seal flexes to conform to the user's face, delivering a precise fit while blocking out stray light.
The Head Band provides cushioning, breathability, and stretch. The Fit Dial lets users adjust Apple Vision Pro precisely to their head.
The device has two 4k micro OLED displays with 23 million pixels combined with over a dozen cameras, and it features a Digital Crown that the users can spin to switch between VR and AR modes.
Apple's spatial computer uses the company M2 processor, which Apple says "simultaneously runs visionOS, executes advanced computer vision algorithms, and delivers stunning graphics, all with incredible efficiency," while the new R1 chip is specifically dedicated to processing input from the cameras, sensor, and microphones, streaming images to the displays within 12 milliseconds for a virtually lag-free, real-time view of the world.
Apple Vision Pro includes 12 cameras and five sensors that are responsible for monitoring hand gestures, mapping the external environment, and recording spatial videos or taking photos.
Apple says two cameras transmit real-world images using AR mode, while the others work for head and hand tracking and real-time 3D mapping. The company even added infrared flood illuminators to help hand tracking in low-light conditions. Like iPhones and iPads, Apple also included LiDAR depth sensors as well.
Since this is the first time Apple has announced a new operating system in years, many of its features are part of the foundation of visionOS, the system that powers this spatial computer. In this part, we highlight the hardware and software features of the Apple Vision Pro:
BGR has a complete guide about visionOS, including how to test the beta, release date, and more.
Apple Vision Pro doesn't seem to have a built-in battery. At this moment, we know there's an external battery, which users can attach to the device with a cable and put in their pockets. This external battery can last up to two hours of power.
Another possibility of using the Vision Pro is probably plugged into a physical charger at all times. We'll update this section once we learn more about it.
Believe it or not, there are already a few rumors regarding Apple Vision Pro 2. According to Omdia research revealed by the Korean version of The Elec, Apple plans to offer this second generation with brighter, more efficient displays.
By 2027, Apple will upgrade the Vision Pro to an RGB OLEDoS display, which will be an improvement over the expected WOLED with a color filter that will be available with the first generation of this product.
The Elec explains that WOLED is a method that produces color as white light passes through an RGB color filter. On the other hand, RGB OLEDoS is a method that implements both light and color in RGB subpixels deposited adjacent to the same layer.
Besides Omdia, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that Apple might wait until 2027 to launch a second generation of this product. A cheaper version was expected by 2025, but it’s unclear if the company plans to release a variant of the first model that soon.
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