Akihabara News (Tokyo) — Apple has unveiled its Vision Pro, an advanced Mixed Reality headset. But it comes with a stunningly expensive price tag, putting it out of reach for most general consumers.
Mixed Reality is a kind of Augmented Reality in which the viewer can interact with digital elements of the display.
In recent years, Apple has been planning to capture a leading position in this technology.
Apple has a tendency to release a “pro” version of a new product—targeting professional users first—and later follow up with cheaper consumer versions. This was done, for example, with the Pro Display XDR, an advanced computer screen product which was introduced at the US$4,999 price tag and later made available in less expensive versions.
This appears to be the strategy employed this time as well. Indeed, the fact that Apple named its headset “Vision Pro” implies that there will be a “non-pro” version in the future.
The Vision Pro features a high-resolution micro-OLED display system, advanced audio technology, and two computer chips to support its built-in visionOS system. The headset is also packed with twelve cameras, two sensors, and six microphones to assist user interaction.
According to the company’s demonstration, users are able to control the headset with hand gestures, putting it ahead of its competitors for which remote controllers are required.
The Vision Pro is being launched with a basic price of US$3,499, which compared to its current competitors is strikingly expensive. The price of the popular Virtual Reality headsets on the market today runs only to about US$1,200 in the case of the top-of-the-line HTC Vive Pro 2.
The new Apple headset is expected to begin shipping to customers early next year.
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