Apple Vision Pro: Massive Launch

Apple Vision Pro is Apple’s augmented virtual reality headset, a device that has been in development for over a decade. The Vision Pro is the company’s first foray into a major new product category since the Apple Watch in 2015, when the device was announced at WWDC 2023 in June. Apple will begin accepting pre-orders for the Vision Pro on January 19 at 5 a.m. Pacific time, with a release date of February 2.

The Apple Vision Pro is definitely a headset, but Apple doesn’t use that term when referring to it. Instead, Apple calls it a spatial computer because of its ability to blend digital content with the physical world. Apple calls the Vision Pro its first spatial computing device.

The Apple Vision Pro is a mixed reality headset that overlays augmented reality content over the world around you for immersive, completely virtual content, but keep in mind that the headset is not transparent. Everything you see is digital. For augmented reality content that doesn’t erase your surroundings, Apple uses a camera that maps what’s in front of you and turns it into a digital image augmented by virtual elements.

For virtual reality experiences, Apple turns off these cameras, making you appear completely isolated from what’s going on around you, so you can only focus on what’s displayed on the headset’s screen. Can concentrate. This transition between “real” and “immersive” can be controlled with the Digital Crown on your device.

Design-wise, the Apple Vision Pro resembles ski goggles, with the front consisting of a single piece of laminated glass fused into an aluminum alloy frame. A soft-fitting light sticker is magnetically attached to the frame, which fits snuglyono your face and blocks out light.

Two audio straps with built-in speakers are mounted on the sides of the headset for spatial audio that blends what you hear in the headset with what’s happening in the real world. The audio strap connects to a 3D knit headband that keeps the Vision Pro in place. Apple has designed the headset to be breathable, cushioned, stretchy, and comfortable, with a fit dial that ensures the headset fits snugly on your head. The dual-strap design distributes weight evenly between the back and top of the head. Apple will offer the Light Seal and headband in multiple sizes, and these components will be interchangeable.

Inside the frame are two micro-OLED displays, providing each eye with over 4K resolution for a total of 23 million pixels. There’s also an external display called Eyesight that projects an image of the eyes, allowing users to see what’s going on around them if they’re using the headset in immersive mode. For eyeglass wearers, there are custom-made Zeiss optical inserts that can be magnetically attached to the headset’s lenses.

The Apple Vision Pro has no controller; instead, the headset is controlled by eye tracking, hand gestures, and voice commands. When viewing an app, you can navigate to it, highlight it, and tap with your finger to open it. Scrolling can be done with a slight flick of your finger.

Apple Vision Pro has more than a dozen cameras and sensors that map the world around you and track your hand and eye movements. Optic ID, which scans the iris using infrared light and a camera, is used for authentication. Every person has a unique iris pattern, and optical ID is similar to face ID and touch ID. It can be used to unlock devices, make purchases, and change passwords.

The Vision Pro is powered by two Apple Silicon chips, including the same M2 chip found in Macs and the new R1 chip. The M2 chip runs Vision OS, runs computer vision algorithms, and provides graphics. The R1 chip, on the other hand, processes inputs from cameras, sensors, and microphones.

The Apple Vision Pro can take 3D photos and videos using the built-in camera activated by tapping a button on the top of the device. Apple says users can capture videos and photos in 3D and relive those memories like never before. Vision Pro also displays your existing photos and videos on a larger scale, making them more impressive. Note that when recording video, Vision Pro makes it clear that the recording is taking place with animation on an external display.

Due to weight constraints, Apple did not include a battery in the Apple Vision Pro. Alternatively, it can be powered by a braided cable attached to a waist-worn battery pack or by connecting to an adapter. The battery pack provides up to 2.5 hours of battery life on a single charge.

Apple Vision Pro displays content in the space around you. Multiple windows are supported, allowing you to position apps and windows in the air and change their positions as needed. Apple says there’s an “infinite canvas” to work with. Apps can be displayed in the actual environment you’re in, so you can see what’s going on around you, or you can have a more immersive view that blocks out the world and puts your content in a virtual Keeps in the background what is called the environment. can also use

The Vision OS operating system runs on the Apple Vision Pro and has a dedicated app store with apps designed specifically for the device, but it can also run iPhone and iPad apps. You can connect Vision Pro to your Mac and use the headset as your Mac’s display. Work with Bluetooth accessories for text input and controls, and use virtual typing and text dictation.

The main Home view includes all your favorite Apple apps like Mail, Messages, Music, Safari, Photos, and more, and your data is synced via iCloud. The interface is similar to that of the iPhone, but apps can be opened and organized virtually. Apple is updating key apps and creating APIs for developers for Vision OS. Additionally, Apple provides the Vision Pro Test Kit to developers for testing their apps. Apple Vision Pro delivers an immersive experience for entertainment like TV and movies, and the Apple TV app offers over 150 3D titles at launch. Enhance your content as if you were in your own personal theater with spatial audio.

FaceTime has been redesigned for Vision Pro. The people on the call appear as large tiles to the headset wearer, and the headset wearer appears as an accurate digital recreation using digital personas. With FaceTime, Vision Pro users can collaborate on documents with colleagues and share apps with others, and spatial audio makes it clear who is speaking.

Cinema environments allow you to watch shows and movies at frame rates and aspect ratios chosen by the manufacturer, and nature-themed environments make your screen feel 100 feet wide. Apple has created Apple Immersive Video, a 180-degree 3D 8K recording that puts you in the action. Additionally, streaming services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ are also available on Vision Pro. When it comes to games, the Vision Pro supports Apple Arcade and will have 100 iPad games available at launch. Games can be played with a Bluetooth game controller connected to the headset. Apple Vision Pro price starts at $3,499 and is expected to be available on February 2, 2024. It will be sold only in the US at launch, and Apple will accept orders both online and in retail stores

How to Buy

The Apple Vision Pro is scheduled to be released on Friday, February 2nd, and Apple is currently accepting pre-orders. A demo will be available on February 2 for those who want to try the headset before purchasing. Pre-orders are nearly sold out, and the Vision Pro isn’t expected to ship until March. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple has sold 180,000 Vision Pro headsets to date.

Vision Pro is available at retail stores in the United States and can also be purchased from our online store in the United States. Apple doesn’t plan to launch the product in other countries until late 2024, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the company hopes to expand the product to other countries by WWDC 2024 in June. He said he plans to do so.

Prices start at $3,500 for 256GB of storage capacity. The pre-order process requires a Face ID scan to help customers determine the correct fit of the light seal and headband.

Apple is expected to sell the Vision Pro at launch. The company produces between 60,000 and 80,000 units, and despite the high price, limited availability and demand from core fans mean that the available supply may quickly run out. Those who want to purchase the Vision Pro on launch day should plan to pre-order now.

Zeiss reading lenses for the Vision Pro cost an additional $99, while custom prescription lens inserts cost $149. To receive custom prescription lens inserts, you must upload a valid, unused prescription from a US eye care professional after purchase.

What’s inside the box?

The Vision Pro comes with two bands: a solo knit band and a dual loop band. It also includes a Light Seal, two different sizes of Light Seal cushions, an Apple Vision Pro cover for when the headset is not in use, a polishing cloth, a battery, a USB-C charging cable, and a USB-C power source . Adapter.

Apple Vision Pro Reviews

Vision Pro reviews are overall mixed. For the most part, reviewers are impressed with the hardware and technology offered by the Vision Pro, but there are questions about the device’s actual capabilities, the intuitiveness of its gesture-based controls, its weight and comfort, and its VR. General.

Nilay Patel of The Verge provides one of the best overviews of Vision Pro. He said it’s clear that Apple has the best hardware in the VR headset it has introduced so far, but there are still big compromises to deal with. Patel found the Vision Pro uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time and did not like its fit as it would interfere with her hair and makeup.

He felt that the Vision Pro felt isolated and said that the “in-the-moment” experience of VR is as good as the “out-of-the-field” experience of working on an external device, such as in the real world. was not. Mac. I did it. “You are out there alone and having an experience that no one else can participate in,” Patel wrote. “I agree with what Tim Cook has been saying for years: headsets are inherently isolating.”

Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal said that the hand gestures captured by the headset’s camera were intuitive, and the navigation made sense. But sometimes the eye tracking didn’t respond to movement, and Patel said he found it distracting from who he wanted to interact with. This is because you cannot experience it on a Mac or iPhone.

Stern said that the virtual keyboard “would be frustrating for anything more than short messages.” To do “real work,” users will need a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

The iSight’s external display was widely disliked by reviewers, who found it blurry, unrealistic, difficult to see at best, and scary at worst. The same thing applies to personality as well. Reviewers did not think they were accurate representations of themselves, and those who saw Persona found them to be in the realm of the uncanny and the uncanny valley.

Apple’s built-in Micro OLED display received positive reviews, with reviewers praising the display’s quality, clarity, and low latency for watching movies, working, and other similar tasks. Some have noted that the color range is more limited than expected, and the size of the device causes vegetating at the edges of the display.

There is also motion blur, which makes the camera less effective in low-light conditions, making text and images blurry and difficult to see. This becomes an issue when using the Vision Pro in augmented reality mode, as the camera shows a pass-through feed of what’s around the wearer. Patel said it’s the best video pass-through tool we’ve seen yet, but it still doesn’t come close to seeing the real world.

There wasn’t an overly impressive app experience or VR game, but reviewers were impressed with the ability to place windows of any size anywhere in the surrounding space. However, window management isn’t intuitive, and while the Vision Pro can act as a display for a Mac, users can set up just one Mac display instead of a setup that looks like multiple Mac monitors in VisionOS.

CNET’s Scott Stein was surprised that, given Apple’s focus on AR, it did not blend virtuality and reality into apps and environments. He said, “I’ve never seen a virtual thing jump on the couch or run behind the furniture. I’ve never put an app on the wall or turned my window into an aquarium.” “Apple’s ARKit on iOS can already do this, but Vision Pro doesn’t expose these tricks yet.”

Reviewers agree that watching TV and movies is one of the Vision Pro’s best use cases, and Patel said there is a case for using it as a very expensive TV. However, reaction to Apple’s 3D content was mixed.

Stern said he felt nauseated whenever he watched 3D 180-degree videos created by Apple for Vision Pro, and Patel also said that spatial video and other motion-heavy content can cause nausea. . Ta. Stein felt that although the video looked impressive, the frame rate and resolution “were not yet high enough to be ultra-realistic.”

The speakers work well and provide good audio, but they aren’t far enough apart that people around you can hear what’s on the headset. There are cameras that can take photos and videos, but the quality is not good enough. “I would never wear the Vision Pro to take family photos or videos,” Stein said.

The Vision Pro is a headset intended primarily for use while sitting, so no one was too concerned about the battery. Battery life was a little over two hours in most tests, which is in line with Apple’s announcements.

Both Stern and Patel said the Vision Pro offers some potential features that could become available as AR and VR technology evolves and Apple is able to develop better devices. It is clearly called a first-generation product.

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Because Vision Pro is a niche product, reviewers do not recommend it to the average consumer and say most people will not want to spend $3,500 on it. “The Vision Pro is not a device I would recommend to friends and family,” says Stein.

How It Works

The Apple Vision Pro is a “mixed reality” headset, meaning it can display both virtual reality and augmented reality content. However, they differ from augmented reality glasses because they are designed to completely cover your eyes and block out everything around you.

Apple uses external and internal cameras for the augmented reality component of its devices. The camera can map the space around you and project the real world, so even if you’re not actually looking through transparent glasses, you’re effectively seeing an accurate image of your real-world environment. Are. This will happen.

With this feature, Apple can display 3D windows, objects, and content in real space, or turn off the camera and turn off the world to provide a completely virtual setting. Apple is focusing solely on the headset’s ability to work, consume content, play games, communicate, and perform other activities “anywhere” using Vision Pro.

Design

The Vision Pro is Apple’s wearable “spatial computing” device, and although Apple doesn’t call it a headset, it’s exactly that. The Apple Vision Pro is a head-wearing virtual/augmented reality headset similar to the PlayStation VR and Meta Quest.

Design-wise, the Vision Pro resembles ski goggles, although they are premium goggles. The front is made of laminated glass, which Apple calls “three-dimensional.”. The glasses are mounted on a curved aluminum alloy frame that touches your face. At the moment, the headset is only available in silver with a matching gray light seal and band.

The frame is magnetically attached to a light seal that you wear on your face, and Apple offers light seals in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit different faces. A secure fit with a light seal is essential to block light and ensure proper operation of the headset. Apple designed LightSeal to be flexible, so it can fit different face shapes. If the light seal is not installed properly, the Vision Pro display will become blurry and allow light to enter.

There are two audio bars with speakers on the sides of the headset that support spatial audio. The audio strap is attached to a solo knit band of 3D braided fabric that secures the headset behind your head and can be tightened with an adjustable dial to customize your fit. The main knitted headband is removable, allowing users to swap it out for different sizes and possibly different designs if Apple makes them available in the future.

The Vision Pro comes with both the above solo knit band that fits behind the head and a dual loop band that covers the back and crown of the head to distribute weight, allowing users to choose the best fit Dual loop bands are a two-strap design and are not made of the same braided material as solo knit bands.

Early testers of the Vision Pro found the dual-loop band to be more comfortable, as the headset was described as heavy. Many reviews mention the weight of the device and say it can be uncomfortable to wear. The Vision Pro weighs between 21.2 and 22.9 ounces (600 and 650 g), depending on the light seal and headband used on the device.

Physical controls include a digital crown at the top that changes the level of “immersion” and more or less displays the real-world environment via “atmosphere” and a camera button that toggles for 3D capture. Serves as a camera button. Contains the “Space.” button at the top. Videos and photos.

On the left side of the headset, there is a place to connect the braided cable that powers the device. The round charging puck looks like the Apple Watch charging puck, but it fits securely into the headset with a rotating gesture.

The charging cable connects to an external battery pack worn on your waist or a power adapter plugged into the wall.

Display

The Apple Vision Pro features two custom micro-OLED displays that deliver a total of 23 million pixels, which Apple says is “more pixels than a 4K TV.” The headset display has a 90Hz refresh rate, but there is also a 96Hz refresh rate that can be activated when watching 24fps movies.

The display is described as the size of a postage stamp, but specific hardware information is still unknown.

It also features an external “Eyesight” display that shows the headset wearer’s eyes to people in the surrounding room. The feature is designed to help people identify whether headset wearers are using a less immersive augmented reality mode or a fully immersive virtual reality mode.

The eye display shown on the external display is from an internal camera monitoring the wearer’s eyes. You can also alert people when you’re recording video from an external camera.

Lens Inserts

Apple Vision Pro customers who wear glasses can order Zeiss Optical Inserts with a prescription. Zeiss lenses cost $149 for custom prescriptions and $99 for readers. The lens magnetically attaches to the display inside the headset and can be engraved on the side.

Zeiss lenses are compatible with powers ranging from -11.00D to +6.75D, but prismatic powers are not supported at this time. Vision Pro can also be used with soft contact lenses but is not compatible with hard contact lenses.

Cameras and Sensors

Apple Vision Pro includes 12 cameras and five sensors to track hand gestures and map the outdoor environment.

The two cameras send more than 1 billion pixels per second to the display to depict the real world around the wearer when using augmented reality mode. Meanwhile, other cameras are used for head tracking, hand tracking, and real-time 3D mapping.

An infrared flood illuminator enhances hand tracking in low-light conditions, and a LiDAR depth sensor determines the size and location of objects in the surrounding room.

Four infrared cameras and LED lights are installed in the headset for eye-tracking purposes. This technology allows the Vision Pro to tell the wearer where they are looking for navigation purposes.

Navigation

The Vision Pro has no physical controls. Navigation is accomplished through eye movements, hand gestures, and voice-based commands. For example, VisionOS allows you to view and highlight elements like app icons and launch apps using quick hand gestures.

Bluetooth keyboards, mice, trackpads, and game controllers can be connected to the Vision Pro as an alternative navigation method, but they are primarily designed for use with Mac connections and Apple Arcade games.

Eye- and gesture-based navigation is demonstrated in an onboarding video taken from the VisionOS software. Apple walks users through the process of reviewing system elements and selecting them with the tap of a finger. The headset can detect hand movements even when your hands are resting comfortably in your lap.

Optic ID

The infrared camera and LED lights inside the Vision Pro are used for a security feature called Optic ID. Optic ID is similar to Touch ID and Face ID but uses an iris scan instead of a facial or fingerprint scan.

Each person has a unique iris pattern, which the headset detects to protect sensitive data on the headset. Like Face ID, Optic ID can be used to unlock the device, authenticate purchases, and change passwords.

3D Camera

Apple has included an external camera that can capture 3D video and 3D photos that can be viewed in 3D with Vision Pro. Apple says they have “incredible depth,” so they’re like refreshing a memory for the first time.

There is a clear indicator on the camera when recording is on, so you can’t secretly record video using a headset.

Several members of the media were able to test the spatial video capabilities of the Vision Pro, which were described as extremely lifelike. The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern said it creates an intimacy that 2D photos do not, while CNET’s Scott Stein said video is easy to record on iPhone 15 Pro models and can be “hypnotic.”. He said it looked “realistic.”.

Audio

There are speakers on each side of the headset, and the speakers are built into a strap attached to the frame. This speaker has dual-driver audio pods next to each ear that can analyze your room’s acoustics and tailor the sound to your space.

The speaker supports spatial audio for an immersive surround-sound experience and also has six microphones for phone calls, video calls, and voice commands.

The Apple Vision Pro is paired with AirPods for a better audio experience, and the USB-C AirPods Pro, released in September 2023, delivers ultra-low latency 20-bit, 48kHz lossless audio when connected to the Vision Pro. We support you.

Connectivity

The Vision Pro supports Wi-Fi 6, which operates on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. It does not include support for the faster Wi-Fi 6E specification that is compatible with the 6GHz band.

Processors and RAM

The Apple Vision Pro has two chips. The main processor is the M2, the same chip first introduced in the 2022 MacBook Air. It is responsible for processing content, running the VisionOS operating system, running computer vision algorithms, and serving graphical content. The M2 chip in the Vision Pro has an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU.

The second R1 chip processes all the information from the camera, sensors, and microphone. Apple says it can stream images to the display in under 12 milliseconds, giving a “virtually lag-free” view of the world.

Inside the Vision Pro is a thermal system designed to gently move air through the headset to control heat and optimize performance.

The Vision Pro headset uses custom-designed dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, to support the R1 input processing chip. SK Hynix will supply Apple with 1 gigabit of low-latency DRAM chips with an increased number of input and output pins to reduce latency. The headset comes with 16GB of RAM.

Storage Space

The entry-level Vision Pro is equipped with 256GB of storage space, but Apple also offers upgraded options with 512GB and 1TB of storage.

Battery Life

With the external battery pack, the Vision Pro can run for up to two and a half hours, with the 2.5-hour rating listed for watching 2D video. Apple says that the Vision Pro lasts for two hours for general usage. Battery packs can be swapped out for additional power on the go, but the device ships with a single battery pack. When plugged into a power adapter, the Vision Pro can run all day.

Vision OS

The Apple Vision Pro runs Vision OS, an operating system designed by Apple specifically for the headset. Vision OS is designed to provide an “infinite canvas” with app windows that can be moved anywhere around the user.

Apple has redesigned apps like Safari, FaceTime, and Messages to work in a 3D environment, and it also allows the headset to run the full catalog of iPhone and iPad apps. iPhone and iPad apps are not optimized for 3D but can be used on a virtual canvas.

Movies and TV shows can be watched through Apple TV+ and other apps and can be adjusted to appear on a “100-foot-wide” screen. VisionOS has its own app store featuring immersive 3D content created exclusively by Apple.

VisionOS has been called the first spatial operating system because it does not require physical controls and can be controlled with eye and hand gestures.

Mac Integration

VisionOS can be used with a Mac, serving as a display. It works as a giant external display for Mac content, with familiar controls available through connected keyboards, mice, and trackpads.

When connected to a Mac, the Vision Pro provides a single Mac display, so it is not possible for a setup that looks like you have multiple displays with Mac apps alone. The Mac interface can, however, be used alongside Vision Pro apps for a multi-window experience.

Medical Warnings

Apple says that there are certain medical conditions that could be exacerbated by the Vision Pro headset. Customers with these conditions should consult with a healthcare professional before using the Vision Pro, as the headset could aggravate symptoms.

Apple adds that pregnant individuals should exercise additional caution when using the Vision Pro due to an increased risk of nausea or loss of balance.

Apple also warns that the Vision Pro and its battery pack could interfere with nearby electronics, including cardiac pacemakers, hearing aids, and defibrillators.

A Cheaper Second-Generation AR/VR Headset?

Apple is already working on a new version of the Apple Vision Pro that will be more affordable. Apple plans to charge $3,499 for the Vision Pro when it launches in 2024, but some rumors suggest the company may want to create a lower-cost model to broaden the device’s appeal.

Apple engineers may use more affordable components to bring the price down, but the lower-priced headset will have the same general AR/VR “mixed reality” features as the Vision Pro. The chip in this device will be on par with the iPhone, rather than the Mac-level chip previously used in AR/VR headsets, and Apple may also use lower-resolution internal displays and cheaper materials.

Bloomberg’s Mark Garman believes Apple is working on a low-cost headset and could launch it as early as 2025, while Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in September 2023 that he might have uninstalled the device.

Garman said Apple is working on several new models and is considering lower-priced and second-generation versions. The Apple Vision Pro 2 headset may focus on reducing size and weight to make it more comfortable, and Apple is also working to streamline the way you buy prescription lenses. Garman believes that in the lower-priced version, Apple will remove the Eyesight feature and the M-series chip in favor of more affordable components.

The next version of the Vision Pro headset is rumored to have a more advanced micro-OLED display with increased brightness and efficiency.

Apple used Zeiss’ snap-in prescription lenses in the original Vision Pro, but it’s likely the next-generation model will produce a custom-made headset with prescription lenses pre-installed. The second-generation Vision Pro headset isn’t expected to arrive until 2027.

DigiTimes claims that Apple is developing four second-generation Vision Pro headsets, including direct successors to the first-generation models and more affordable models. There is no information about the other two versions that are said to be in development.

The site claims that the component prices of the more affordable version will be 50% lower than Apple’s, leading to a significant price cut. DigiTimes believes that a cheaper headset could arrive in 2025.

Apple’s Long-Term AR/VR Plans

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple is planning an augmented reality “contact lens” that could launch sometime in the 2030s. Kuo said the lens will bring electronics from the era of “visible computing” to the era of “invisible computing.” Contact lenses are currently “undefined,” and there is no guarantee that Apple will develop them.

Apple was also developing augmented reality Apple Glasses, with the headset expected to be released a year or two later, but the project was put on hold so the company could instead focus on cheaper versions of its AR/VR headsets. Could. Apple Glasses are expected to be released in early 2027.

Future versions of AR/VR headsets may have accessibility settings designed to help people who suffer from eye diseases or vision problems.

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