Apple Vision Pro release date predictions, price, specs and must-know features
The Vision Pro has been out in the US for about a month now and it feels like a quiet storm. Some may have expected Apple's spatial computer to blow up immediately, but that is difficult for a number of reasons, such as:
- A limited release, confined to the US only
- The hefty $3,500 price tag
- The innovative nature of the technology itself
Despite that, the Vision Pro has already proven itself as a device, likely to remain in history as a very impactful type of XR headset. Not only because it is a new product category for Apple, but because it is truly a first of it's kind: a headset with a focus on MR beyond gaming alone.
When Apple announced the Vision Pro, the industry reacted: suddenly everyone who is somebody — and even a few nobodies — was interested in making VR headsets and AR glasses. Regardless of how successful the Vision Pro will end up being, it's mere existence has changed the tech landscape in a notable way.
The Apple Vision Pro: Summary
The big reveal for the Vision Pro in 2023.
The Vision Pro is Apple's first XR — which stands for mixed reality, a technology that combines both virtual and augmented reality capabilities within itself — headset. While the Apple Glasses — which many expected to come out before any sort of headset — project is still on hold, the Vision Pro seems to be aiming to experiment with AR in a similar fashion. This isn't to say that Apple's first headset won't be able to let you have fun and play games: it will, but that's not the focus, like it is on the Quest 3 for example.
While Meta's headsets are really impressive on their own right, both in a technical sense and on a software level, the Vision Pro seems to be an entirely different beast. For example, Apple made the choice to forego the inclusion of controllers and focus on human-centric design, allowing the Vision Pro's users to use their eyes and hands to navigate the headset and it's numerous realities.
This, on its own, helped Apple detach VR's association with gaming — which is still prevalent, even in 2024 — and pick a different route. Meta's Quest line is geared towards entertainment: no question about it. And while the Vision Pro won't stray from the idea, judging by how the device was presented, it is clear that Apple wants this headset to reach the hands — and workflows — of productivity nerds, multitaskers and those working from home.
And then that same crowd could still use the Vision Pro to play Beat Saber, that's fine. It is stated to support numerous third-party controllers, so no worries on that front, even if that means an additional, separate purchase for some of us.
This is the sort of user that Apple is targeting with the Vision Pro.
So what can the Vision Pro do for the right crowd? Well, information is still limited, since Apple is handling this new type of product as a new type of product launch too, but here's what we can make out that:
- the Vision Pro seems to offer a human-centric software and hardware design that's easy to pick up and work with
- the headset is expected to feature a robust set of mixed reality features, capable of turning your real life surroundings into a portable, multi-faceted work station
- the device has been shown to let you place virtual monitors, type on a virtual keyboard, making it feel like it's aiming to be an all-in-one work-anywhere solution
And if you happen to be the part of the right type of crowd, that gets excited at the mention of such things, than you should know: Apple is aiming to take care of comfort too. The displays on the Vision Pro are rumored to be of exceptional quality and the device itself is said to be with an admirable level of comfort when worn when compared to any other of the best VR headsets out there.
But here's the twist: all of this is based on what we've heard about the device and what Apple has shown during the product's unveiling. Factually, we know very little about the Vision Pro's internals, but Apple's track record has us confident that most claims will come true in some way or another.
Jump to section:
Apple Vision Pro release date predictions
- Release date: February 2, 2024, which was revealed via a blog post that Apple released on 08 Jan, 2024.
- Pre-orders go live on January 19, 2024 at 08:00 ET. The process is still not 100% clear mere hours ahead of the pre-orders going live, but it does seem to be quite the complicated endeavor. Most interestingly, it seems to be limited only to users who either own or have access to an iPhone X or later or certain models of iPad Pro.
- Pre-orders for the Vision Pro are live on Apple's online store.
- Availability: The Vision Pro has been confirmed to become available in Apple Stores across the US on February 2, 2024. Pre-orders and online orders will start shipping on that same day too, however it is unclear if online orders will be limited to the US for the time being.
- Announcement date: June 5, 2023 during WWDC.
- A clear release theory from December, 2023: After insider Mark Gurman got his hands on some new, juicy data, the new theory was that the Vision Pro may manage a release in January, 2024 after all. This was mostly based on the fact that Apple was gearing up to train it's employees, which allegedly would take about 2 day per employee.
- Q1 sounds solid in November, 2023: Mark Gurman, as part of his newsletter, shared that Q1 sounds like a very solid release window for the Vision Pro, which fit in frame with most of the other online rumors surrounding the headset's release. However, Mark theorized that the release would happen towards the end of the period, primarily due to logistics complications that Apple was supposedly experiencing at the time.
- What this means for you: the Vision Pro will likely become available before April of 2024, but that hasn't officially been confirmed by Apple yet. What you should keep in mind is that, since this is a completely different type of device than — say — an iPhone, you should probably have a more grounded set of expectations regarding how you can get to try it. After all, VR headsets have a series of sanitation-related concerns attached and due to that, it's possible that Apple won't be letting Apple Store visitors try the Vision Pro, like Sony used to do with it's headsets back in the day. That being said, given the two day training period, every Apple Store employee should be able to answer all sorts of Vision Pro-related questions that you may have, so at there's at least that.
- Apple Store demos confirmed, at least for one weekend: an email, sent out to select media outlets by Apple, confirmed that the weekend immediately following the release of the Vision Pro, will give fans a chance to try out the Vision Pro. This means that if you've wanted to try the headset out, you could get a chance to do so on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th of February, 2024. How the process will go isn't clear at this point and there doesn't seem to be any way to reserve a spot for testing out the Vision Pro, but since sanitation is a concern, waiting times may become an issue.
Apple has released a video Guided Tour for the Vision Pro, possibly aimed at those who won't be able to attend an Apple Store over the release weekend to check the spatial computer out in person:
It is possible that the vid is based on the scenario that in-person testers are planned to go through, if they attend an in-store demo session for the Vision Pro. - Online orders may require face scanning: a newsletter email, sent out by Apple, teased the possibility that a face scan may be required before users can finalize online orders for a Vision Pro unit. The results of the scan will help Apple determine what size of light seal and head bands would be best for your use-case. The scanning is suspected to take place via the App Store app itself and thus requires an iPad Pro or iPhone model with face scanning capabilities. Naturally, this also opens up the possibility that for multiple users, multiple sets of bands may be required, as this pretty much confirms the existence of different sizes, despite the fact that said bands will be adjustable.
Latest Apple Vision Pro news:
Apple Vision Pro price
What crowd is expected to pay this much for a headset? The rigth one.
- Final price: $3,499 for the base model with 256GB of storage
If you so choose, you can bump the internal storage of the Vision Pro for 512GB for $3,699 or up to 1TB for $3,899.
Initial pre-order sales estimates dismiss any concerns over very low stocks for the Vision Pro and — if completely true — indicate that Apple might have managed to sell about 180,000 spatial computers over the first weekend when the headset first became available to pre-order.
Those interested in the Vision Pro should know that a proper, detailed price breakdown is available. Truth be told, the numbers are estimates, as Apple hasn't revealed the exact price of each individual, required for making a unit of the Vision Pro. That being said though, the logic of the report makes enough sense to sound believable.
A table with Omdia's estimates, but keep in mind that these exclude R&D, software, marketing and everything else.
- The price may be right: Sure, it's a price far exceeding the $500 asking price of the Quest 3, which as of January, 2024 is the most powerful commercially available XR headset on the market. But the Quest 3 is also an entirely different type of device, geared towards entertainment and manufactured by a company that owns the biggest online store for AR/VR apps and games (all of which earn Meta a cut). Of course, Apple has the benefit of it's very own ecosystem and the multitude of apps available there, but it is still unclear what percentage of those will run properly on the Vision Pro. Furthermore: what amount of them will get proper Vision Pro-specific versions, which take advantage of the headset, developed in the future.
- What does this mean for the Vision Pro's price?: Apple may have opted to charge you up front with a larger sum, without having to rely on additional income in the form of earning cuts, sales of accessories or anything of the sort, which is very much the strategy that Meta is imploring at the moment. Of course, this may very well change in the future, especially if the rumors for a cheaper Vision Pro model turn out to be true, but the important thing is that Apple seems to have made a choice to allow the Vision Pro to perform on it's own. And that, considering that it's the first product of it's kind for the company, makes total sense. Plus, there is another side to the story here: gamers and the entertainment crowd aren't used to such high asking prices, but they aren't the real target audience for the Vision Pro. Higher-end workers are more inclined to invest in the means through which they get the job done, especially if the product is worth it.
Apple Vision Pro design
- Comfort seems like a priority: Apple has gone on record saying that it has sourced inspiration from among it's other successful products such as the Apple Watch when approaching the comfort factor of the Vision Pro. A mix of woven nylon and 3D-knitted textile have been picked in order to ensure that the headset fits a wide range of people in a comfy fashion.
- Solving the weight conundrum: Apple has been transparent about weight being a challenge, which makes sense given that the Vision Pro features an external display, which requires the use of polished glass on the headset's front too. As such, the solution that stuck was to remove have the battery of the Vision Pro be external and connected via a cable, which reduces the weight of the headset. Even at that, early headset testers did note that the Vision Pro was heavier than other prominent VR models, but we're still not sure if the situation will remain the same with the final product, as Apple is actively working on resolving the situation, possibly through adding more weight to improve the balance of the headset, which would make it feel as if it wasn't as heavy as it actually is.
Notice how the Vision Pro's battery is separated from the headset.
- Form factor: Comparable to that of a ski-mask, especially considering that the Vision Pro has a broader frontal visor, Apple's first headset has a familiar form factor that is seemingly focused on offering a better fit. The headset is thinner than most current-gen competitors, but if that will remain the case for the final iteration of the Vision Pro is still unclear.
- Adjustability and fit: Like all existing XR headset, the Vision Pro will too allow users to adjust a range of options in order to achieve a higher level of comfort. Naturally, the head strap will be adjustable and we can expect an IPD range too, although that will probably be an automated process and not something that requires manual input from the user. Apple has made hints that the Vision Pro will very much offer users the opportunity to latch on prescription lenses with rumors suggesting that that may actually happen in Apple Stores, but how the Big A will be handling the process ultimately is still up in the air.
- The Digital Crown of the Vision Pro lets you tune the amount of immersion you'd like to have. It is still unclear in which scenarios the crown will function like this and where it may gain other applications, but for now Apple has shown us users in Environments, which can "dim" their presence via turning the know.
- More on the Zeiss collaboration: Along with the release date announcement of the Vision Pro, Apple disclosed some additional details about the headset. Part of it confirmed that the partnership with Zeiss for custom-fitted lenses for the Vision Pro is still active. Two types of lenses were mentioned: - Readers, priced at $90
- Prescription, priced at $150
That being said, however, the process for ordering, getting and fitting said lenses is still not clear as of January, 2024.
Apple Vision Pro display and IPD expectations
The displays are expected to be some of the Vision Pro's most impressive components.
- Here's the gist of it: Apple hasn't disclosed the exact specifics of it's displays, not has the company commented on the Vision Pro's eye relief and IPD adjustment capabilities. It has all been features, features, features, but hey: that's what gets people excited!
Regardless, we've got some indication from veteran display industry analyst Ross Young, who suggests the following specs for the Vision Pro's screens:
- Two 1.41-inch micro-OLED panels (one for each eye)
- 4,000 PPI (pixels-per-inch) density
- More than 5,000 nits of maximum brightness
But just in case I'd like to remind everyone that the above mentioned specs are pure speculation at this point.
Want more? Well, all we can do is serve up some more rumors for you, so take all of these with a grain of salt.
What we're expecting of the Vision Pro:
- The field-of-view (FOV) of the Vision Pro to be at 120°, a significant jump from the Quest 3's 96°, but that's required to be the case if Apple is to truly focus on mixed-reality content.
- The IPD (interpupillary distance) of the headset will be adjustable, possibly via an automatic mechanism, but what its range may be is still not entirely clear.
- The Vision Pro will support prescription lens inserts, so that everyone can enjoy Apple's headset, but what the process to getting those will be hasn't been disclosed yet.
Apple could be facing possible supply issues with these lenses, due to the way the process is currently being handled (via collaborating with Zeiss), which is why there is a rumor that in the future, the Vision Pro may ship pre-packed with prescription lenses, straight to your door.
- What can you expect from the Vision Pro's displays: Apple's Vision Pro headset is looking to be a beast first of it's kind and we're expecting a part of that statement to be reinforced precisely through the headset's displays. Numerous people, among those lucky enough to try it, say that the image quality is notably better than the current standard for VR, but what truly feels like magic is the eye-tracking and MR capabilities of the Vision Pro. While those feel like entirely different types of features, the high capacity at which they work is enabled precisely through high-quality displays of the Vision Pro. This means that the displays of the headset aren't just about picture quality, but also about empowering the headset to do more for it's wearer.
Apple Vision Pro specs
- Apple doesn't really like to disclose all the specs of its devices in advance and the same is true for the Vision Pro. Regardless, we've gathered what we know and combined it with what makes sense and what has been rumored in order to set some plausible expectations for the headset. That being said, these are still speculative, so keep that in mind:
Apple AR/VR headset specs (speculated) | |
---|---|
Display | Two 1.4" micro-OLED displays, one for each eye, and each at 4K resolution |
FOV | 120 degrees |
IPD range | Adjustable, range unknown |
Processor | Apple M2 |
Battery | External, waist-mounted, rechargeable Up to 2-hour battery life or whole day when plugged in |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 256GB, 512GB or 1TB; non-expandable |
Speakers | Stereo, powered by the H2 chip No 3.5mm headphone jack |
Operating system | visionOS |
Controllers | Siri voice recognition, a built-in Digital Crown Eye- and hand-tracking for interface navigation |
Tracking | 3D cameras, infrared, and LiDAR sensors for room scale tracking, hand and body tracking and positional tracking |
Support for users with glasses | Yes, with prescription lens inserts |
- Storage space variants: when pre-orders for the Vision Pro went live, the process confirmed that three different variants of the device will be available, regarding storage:
- 256GB for $3,499
- 512GB for $3,699
- 1TB for $3,899
- Doesn't come with controllers: Apple made the choice to focus on hand-tracking and eye-tracking as means of navigation for the Vision Pro. While both methods feel vastly more natural than using any sort of VR controllers, this does mean that the users interested in experiencing apps and games that require additional controller inputs will have to buy controllers separately. The Vision Pro is stated to support a wide range of existing Bluetooth controllers, but it is still unclear if Apple will offer any sort of dedicated first-party solution. The headset is rumored to feature mouse and keyboard support, so some of the games and apps that support these input methods may be able to take them as substitutes for controllers.
- Apple's focus seems to be on making XR feel good to use, instead of creating another powerhouse headset. Still, the Vision Pro has been testified to offer an exceptional mixed reality experience, which should indicate that it's raw power is not to be undermined. The only pitfall in Apple's approach is that to anyone who hasn't tried any previous VR headset models, the Vision Pro will feel simply natural and as such: possibly not exceptional. This is because this crowd won't have any basis for comparison through which to appreciate the smaller, yet impactful innovations that Apple has made.
- What this means the Vision Pro's target audience: While the specs of the Vision Pro don't seem entirely groundbreaking, you must remember that this is still an Apple product, and as such, you're paying for software too. Now, that isn't to say that the Vision Pro is expected to be underpowered: far from it, even if it's not equipped with the latest Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 like the Quest 3. But the fact of the matter is that the Vision Pro is going to offer a human-centric design, with numerous innovations that will be felt on a software level with features — either new, or revamped — that make it far easier to work with.
- External battery pack life: In early January, Apple announced the Vision Pro's release date, but the blog post contained a series of additional details too. The Vision Pro features an external battery, one pack of which will be able to last about 2 hours of general use or 2,5 hours of video playback. The post also confirmed that users will be able to buy multiple battery packs, so that they can swap between them, having one charge while the other one is being used. Naturally, the Vision Pro is expected to be able to run while connected to a charging brick too.
- A teardown revealed that the Vision Pro's battery actually consists of three iPhone-sized cells, weighing 353 gr. in total. It also revealed that beneath the glass panel of the headset, there is a plastic layer, containing a lenticular film, which is causing the neat 3D-effect of EyeSight. That being said, the same technology is to fault for the lack of brightness on the Vision Pro's front-facing display.
- Sturdy, yet not unbreakable is the consensus from early teardowns and drop-tests concerning the Vision Pro. The device will, of course, scratch with use, but in most cases, said scratches won't disrupt it's functionality in any meaningful way. A YouTuber dropped the Vision Pro from varying degrees of height a total of eight times before the headset's glass panel cracked, but even at that, it remained fully functional. Fair warning though: if you need Apple to replace the Vision Pro's glass panel for you, that will cost you $800.
Apple Vision Pro: what's in the box?
When pre-orders for the Vision Pro went live on January 19, the product page also revealed everything that's expected to come with a Vision Pro unit:
- The Vision Pro
- Light Seal: to prevent external light from interrupting your experience
- Light Seal Cushion: for extra comfort
- Solo Knit Band: the one seen in most marketing materials
- Dual Loop Band: an alternative, offering supposedly better weight distribution
- Cover: protecting the front of the spatial computer
- Battery: the external battery pack for the headset
- Polishing Cloth: to keep your headset shiny
- 30W USB-C Power Adapter: for charging the battery pack
- USB-C Charging cable: not confirmed, but possibly usable for data transfer too
The package is pretty much what we expected to see, so the real questions here are:
Considering Apple's own wording from the Vision Pro's pre-order page, if you want to share the headset with another user, they may need a Light Seal and a head strap. Luckily, both are already sold separately via Apple's online store.
How much would it cost you to get an additional set of accessories, so that someone else in your household could use the Vision Pro too?
Considering Apple's own wording from the Vision Pro's pre-order page, if you want to share the headset with another user, they may need a Light Seal and a head strap. Luckily, both are already sold separately via Apple's online store.
- An extra Light Seal will run you $200
- Another Solo Knit Band will cost you $99
- And if you prefer the Dual Loop Band, that's also $99
Now, the good news is that you don't need both bands. Whoever else in your immediate circle, that wants to use the Vision Pro, can check out the bands that came with the headset and decide which one they would prefer. But still: that's another $299, just so another user could have a proper fit.
How much would an additional Battery pack cost you, if you want to have two so you could hot-swap between?
Additional battery packs for the Vision Pro are already sold separately on Apple's online store for $199.
Apple Vision Pro features and visionOS software
- Running on visionOS: the Vision Pro is running it's own dedicated operating system (OS), called visionOS. The interface of the OS follows in Apple's design philosophy with a minimal aesthetic and human-centric design. Users will be able to navigate it via a combination of eye-tracking, voice commands and eye gestures. This means that, in most cases, you'll be able to get where you want to go just by looking at the right place and pinching with your index finger and your thumb.
- visionOS and app availability: visionOS will enable users to run most — if not all, but that isn't confirmed yet — iPad versions of apps, available on the App Store. That being said, most of those will run in a flat screen mode, which means that users will either see them as flat projections or will be able to pin them as active virtual monitor windows in MR. The OS allows developers to create custom app versions, optimized for the Vision Pro itself and thus far, developers have praised Apple's approach, even if we haven't seen any of the final results for the time being.
- The App library of the Vision Pro is rumored to consists of about 150 dedicated spatial apps at launch. Even though Apple quotes "over a million apps" in the commercials, the company means that most of the App Store's offerings will be able to run in virtual windows on the Vision Pro. Some notable exceptions such as Netflix or YouTube exist, but it is also still unclear how well their existing iPad app versions will run on the Vision Pro, so these brands' decisions to not make custom Vision Pro apps might make more sense with time.
- Gaming on the Vision Pro requires numerous separate purchases: You will be able to play games on the Vision Pro. Some of them may end up being dedicated VR titles — with Beat Saber being a prime candidate to get a dedicated port, possibly even the VR modes for recent Resident Evil titles — while others will be flat screen versions of existing games, available for the iPad. What you need to know is that you won't be able to play every single game from the get go, as some of them will require a controller as an input method. Those interested will have to buy a controller separately, if they don't already own one of the — reportedly numerous — Bluetooth controller models supported by the Vision Pro. Games that can work with a mouse and keyboard instead should be able to take those as input methods too, but that isn't confirmed as of now.
New video tutorial showing Persona Enrollment for Apple Vision Pro added in visionOS beta 6!
— M1 (@M1Astra) November 14, 2023
The enrollment uses the EyeSight display to guide the user. pic.twitter.com/cGfsdTuIaY
- EyeSight, Optic ID and your virtual Persona: EyeSight is what one of the more controversial features of the Vision Pro is called: the ability for the headset to display your eyes — or a multitude of other things — on an external display, mounted on the front of the device. The feature itself is also linked to how you create your virtual Apple avatar, named a Persona, though it's reach and application isn't entirely clear as of now. A seemingly legitimate tutorial on how to set up these Vision Pro features leaked and by the looks of things, it's a pretty easy affair. The process should also be linked to Optic ID: Apple's security solution for the Vision Pro, which is directly tied it's admin user's eyes. We're expecting to learn more about that when the headset releases. Upon initial release, Personas were critiqued for evoking a heavy "uncanny valley" feeling, but the feature is stated to be still in Beta. It less than a month for Apple to release the first update to Personas, which improves the way they look, confirming a promising timeline for one of the Vision Pro's most intriguing functions.
- Sharing the Vision Pro: when pre-orders for the device went live on January 19, Apple included a quick FAQ section at the bottom of the product page, where one of the questions responded to an often brought-up concern regarding the headset. Essentially, Apple will let you share it with those around you, maybe even without limiting the experience in any way, but the company does provide a warning that a custom set of light seal and head band may be required for best fit.
- 3D movies and immersive movies: the Vision Pro will be able to entertain users with two types of movies, especially optimized for Apple's MR headset. 3D movies are just that: movies, displayed on a flat screen. Immersive movies, on the other hand, aren't just 3D, but they attempt to position the viewer as part of the action. The Vision Pro's reveal gave us a taste of that, but in a way that just represented the concept, so we're not certain of how these will actually work when the headset comes out. The first batch of 3D films started to make their way onto AppleTV, indicated by a new Vision Pro icon. For the time being, we don't know if these are just placeholder indicators, or if the actual movies are available in 3D to owners of the Vision Pro dev kit. We also don't know what the quality and resolution of the media is, so you'll have to stay tuned for that too.
- Spatial Videos: these were introduced during the Vision Pro's reveal and are essentially 3D videos that the user can capture using specific iPhone 15 models, running iOS 17.2 or higher and then played back only on a Vision Pro headset. Apple is marketing these as a type of media that allows you to re-experience memories, but it's not like you can dive in and walk around the moment as if it is a scene. Those that have tried the feature say that it's slightly more immersive than 3D, until you focus on the details around any subjects with contrasting depth, which is when the idea starts to show signs of imperfect AI computation. Naturally, with time, the quality may improve, but the real question is how far will Apple be able to make the format closer to feeling like you're actually re-experiencing a memory.
- The ability to set up an MR virtual workspace: this is the feature that most people are expecting out of the Vision Pro, yet the one that Apple has spoken about the least, even if it's often being showcased in promotional materials. The Vision Pro has been shown to be capable enough to mix it's spatial computation data with it's rendering MR capabilities in order to let users attach virtual objects to the real world. This means that, in theory, so long as you have some empty desk space, you can set up an entire workspace with numerous virtual monitors. In an ideal setting, this would also remove the need for a mouse and keyboard, but only time will tell if the Vision Pro's virtual keyboard is good enough to replace the real thing.
- Not forgetting your passcode seems to be essential when owning a Vision Pro, because if you need to have it reset, you may have to visit an Apple Store or get it completely replaced. Apple representatives can offer you a Developer Strap for $290, which you can use to reset the Vision Pro at any time via connecting it to an iPad or laptop, which is a bit extreme. Optic ID exists on the Vision Pro, yes, but just like with Face ID, it can't always replace your passcode. You can turn off the need for a Passcode from Settings, but it is still unclear if that impacts the Vision Pro's functionality in any disruptive ways.
- Guest mode and Travel mode: While their functions aren't a 100% certain yet, it isn't difficult to imagine what Guest mode is. After all, the Vision Pro does sound like it would be quite the personal device, but even at that: someone is bound to want to try it on. As such, Guest mode might be a setting that kicks-in automatically as soon as the spatial computer detects that someone, other than it's primary user, has put it on. As to Travel mode: we know that it's meant to allow you to use the Vision Pro while on moving vehicles, such as airplanes or cars, but how that would work is the real question.
- Environment settings: This idea isn't anything new to the world of VR: these are typically different styles of rooms or environments that the wearer can choose from, while hanging out in a headset's hub area or navigating it's general UI. That being said, we're not entirely sure if the case will remain the same for the Vision Pro. While that may be the case, we do have a list of Environment settings that will be available on Apple's headset:
- Yosemite
- Sky
- Joshua Tree
- Lake Vrangla
- Mount Hood
- The Moon
- Beach
- White Sands
- Winter Light
- Fall Light
- Summer Light
- Spring Light
It also became clear that Disney+ subscribers will get access to special immersive environments, which may or may not act as the ones described above. Weather they will be limited to being part of the Disney+ app experience or could be utilized as full on environments, only time will tell. For the time being, we know that four ones will be available:
- The Disney+ Theater
- The Scare Floor (Monster's Inc.)
- Avengers Tower in Manhattan
- Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder
Lastly, we know that those using Environments won't be completely isolated either. If someone would approach a Vision Pro user, who is in an Environment, and then speak to them, if the headset wearer would look at the speaker, they would sort of blend in with the environment in a very 70s-movie-poster way. It is unclear if this is a setting that can be adjusted in terms of how and if a theoretical speaker would appear.
- What about Vision Pro on PC? Well, even if Apple hasn't said anything about such a collaboration, the developer community is hard at work on it. It took less than a month for someone to get Steam VR to work with the Vision Pro, with the developers of Virtual Desktop and iVRy promising Vision Pro ports of their apps soon after. That being said, PC VR remains a challenge, due to Apple's choice to not include controllers with the Vision Pro. This will require for a bit of adjusting and only time will tell if someone will manage to port over the Quest's Pro Controllers, tracking included, to PC VR before Apple possibly concedes and releases dedicated Vision Pro controllers.
What it feels like to use the Vision Pro
Does Apple's first XR headset have a wow factor that can't be ignored?
- Only special guests and developers can try the Vision Pro: Any registered Apple developer can head to one of Apple's dedicated Vision Pro spaces, which are very few and far between, and try the headset in real life. If said developer is decidedly keen on making apps for the Vision Pro, they can order a devkit, which is a sort of prototype of the Vision Pro, giving a dev all the required tools to create apps and games. Online personalities and tech influencers have also received special invitations from Apple to try the Vision Pro ahead of time.
- Someone got their hands on a devkit and shared the story: During the Summer of 2023, someone managed to convince a developer that owns a Vision Pro devkit to let them try it and write their impressions of it online. This info comes from a reputable publication, so it's unlikely that it has been falsified. That being said, it is still a subjective point of view, based on a prototype, so you shouldn't take everything as final.
What it feels like to use the Vision Pro:
- It felt very Apple
- Setup was extremely easy
- The Vision Pro impressed with its FOV
- You still have black edges at the far corners of the screen
- Video passthrough is great, but not perfect
- EyeSight isn't included in the devkit
- Eye tracking has felt precise and tight
- Gesture controls are intuitive and comparable to those of other Apple products
- Web-browsing fancy websites is difficult
- The virtual keyboard isn't perfect
- The audio is off-ear and allows you to hear the world too
- You can't use the Vision Pro with headphones as of now
- Right now, the devkit lasts about an hour
- You can use it while charging
- You can charge with a speed of up to 60W, but it also works with a 30W charger
- It weighs about a pound (~450gr)
- Eventually, it does cause neck strain and fatigue
- Eye-strain was not present after the testing period
- The user felt it was closer to an enterprise-grade product
And if you're interested, the full story is absolutely worth your time.
Using the Vision Pro outside of the USA before it is internationally released:
We knew that the announced pre-order and launch dates for the Vision Pro were US-exclusive for now, but what we did not expect is for Apple to give us more details about that at the bottom of the Vision Pro's pre-order page.
Essentially, the FAQ responses confirm that the Vision Pro is "for sale" and "designed for customers in the U.S.", followed by the obligatory "We look forward to bringing Apple Vision Pro to more countries later this year.", so I guess that we're in for the announcement of another series of dates later on in 2024.
But Apple is experienced enough to know that there are a lot of users out there, thinking that this simply wouldn't be enough. Hence, the company has provided a quick explainer about what would happen if someone were to buy the Vision Pro and then take it outside of the US. Here's a summary of that:
- The Vision Pro's interface is only in English, including typing, Siri and Dictation
- The App Store will require an Apple ID set in the US region
- Same goes for purchases through Apple Music and the TV app
- If anyone needs prescription lenses: they wouldn't be able to get them outside of the US, since only such administered by US eye care professionals would be accepted
- Certain apps, features or license-related functions will not be available
- Apple Support will be available only in the US, so if something goes wrong: you'd be on your own
In other words, if you're super-eager to get the Vision Pro, but you live outside of the USA, then you're better of waiting for the international release, which is bound to happen at a later point in 2024.
That being said, most of these would still apply even if you legitimately purchase the Vision Pro in the US as a US resident and then take it with you while travelling abroad, so keep that in mind. Now that "Travel mode" has been confirmed to just be about letting you use the thing while in motion, you may want to think twice before taking this spatial computer outside of your home country.
But hey: at least Apple is offering an official Travel Case for the Vision Pro at its online store for $199.
Should you wait for the Apple Vision Pro?
- You should wait for the Apple Vision Pro if you're excited about the prospects of AR and MR, and implementing those into your daily routine, especially if you're working from home or changing your work locations a lot (by which I don't mean working at Starbucks, by the way). If you can't wait to experience what true mixed reality means and you have the cash to spend, then the Vision Pro is likely your best option. And that last bit counts double if you're already knees deep in the Apple ecosystem.
- You should not wait the Apple Vision Pro, however, if you can't see yourself using the device on the regular and making the best of it, especially if you're only looking to get an XR headset just for the entertainment value alone. If that is the case, something like the Quest 3 will still be able to give you a taste of the future, without the need to pay a hefty price. You should also consider your current setup, because it is yet to be seen how much of the Vision Pro's value will be tied directly with the Apple ecosystem of products and services.
Just in case:
We're basing our recommendation on the information available to us as of January, 2024, only some of which is official. Naturally, our opinion is subject to change after Apple's XR headset has released, so make sure to check back with us when that happens.