Apple is upping production of its Vision Pro headset.
Insiders have told Bloomberg the iPhone maker’s mixed-reality headset looks set to be available to consumers by February 2024, as production is well underway in China.
Priced at $3,499, the headset doesn’t come cheap. The software developers at Apple are said to have faced challenges along the way due to the nature of the product.
It looks like a pair of goggles and is said to “seamlessly” blend the real and digital world.
Announcing the device during the tech giant’s WWDC 2023 in June, “it’s the first Apple product you look through, not at,” CEO Tim Cook said.
The controller-free headset is controlled with your hands, eyes and voice, and will allow users to browse rows of app icons via the visionOS operating system.
You will be able to tap to select an app or flick to keep scrolling, as well as giving voice commands to access “hundreds of thousands of familiar iPhone and iPad apps,” according to Apple.
The headset also supports Bluetooth accessories, and you can connect your Mac to use inside the headset.
“Featuring visionOS, the world’s first spatial operating system, Vision Pro lets users interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space,” Apple said in a press release.
“The breakthrough design of Vision Pro features an ultra-high-resolution display system that packs 23 million pixels across two displays and custom Apple silicon in a unique dual-chip design to ensure every experience feels like it’s taking place in front of the user’s eyes in real time,” the press release stated.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era for computing,” Cook added. “Just as the Mac introduced us to personal computing and iPhone introduced us to mobile computing, Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing. Built upon decades of Apple innovation, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before — with a revolutionary new input system and thousands of groundbreaking innovations.
“It unlocks incredible experiences for our users and exciting new opportunities for our developers,” Cook said.
Apple has said the device will change “the way users interact with their favorite apps, capture and relive memories, enjoy stunning TV shows and movies and connect with others in FaceTime.”
