Apple Vision Pro first look: The mixed reality future is (almost) here

What does it do apple vision pro Lookalike? Imagine a pair of ski goggles. The fanciest, most sci-fi ski goggles you’ve ever seen. Got it.

Apple announced the Vision Pro headset at its WWDC developer conference, during which executives spent a long time detailing both how the hardware works and how you use it. After the event, we were able to take a brief look at the $3,499 Vision Pro ourselves — we couldn’t use it or even touch it, but we could see its metal wonders in a demo room at the Steve Jobs Theater Were.

Based on what little we’ve seen, it’s a dramatically better-looking device than any other AR or VR headset we’ve seen. The actual headset itself is quite thin, and most of the weight and size of the device comes from the fabric shield around it and the large, plush band around the back. The goggles curve slightly and should wrap snugly around most faces. The whole thing is a nice silver color, with the cable coming in on the bottom left and the iPhone-sized battery pack at the bottom that provides its two-hour battery life.

Those little bumps you see on the sides of the Vision Pro’s bands are where the built-in audio resides. (Spatial audio is one of the device’s big selling points.) Most of its other sensors and cameras are housed just below the front glass; At just right angles, you can see some of the cameras pointing out of the headset. Cheese grater-style vents run under both eyes, presumably to push all the processor’s hot air down your cheeks.

The Vision Pro’s front-facing display was softly pulsating with light, which would indicate that one was in the headset but could not see out; We weren’t able to see the second scene, in which the wearer’s eyes are projected through that front screen. That scene will either be innovative or horrifying. we will see.

Of course, the big question will be how it feels in use. With no overhead band, will it sit too heavy on your nose? Will the cable connected to your left temple, going to the battery pack, be annoying? Will it get hot after a few minutes? And how will it look from inside? Apple spent a lot of time talking about how you can use the Vision Pro to replace your television or computer monitor, but it’s going to take an enormous amount of processing power and display skill to do well in your face. Is required. Even the announced 4K display may not be enough.

And, of course, “What is it for?” Discussion. Unlike when the company launched the Apple Watch or AirPods, there isn’t a huge existing market for mixed reality devices; There’s the Meta Quest, a bunch of barely successful prototypes like Microsoft’s HoloLens and Magic Leap, and not much else. Most people have no idea how these headsets work, and know very little about how they work. Needed Looks like the job is done.

Ultimately, the headset’s software and user interface will be more important than the gadget itself. And there’s a lot more to find out before the Vision Pro launches next year. But based on a brief look at the devices in the hands-on area at Apple Park, Apple’s off to a pretty strong start on the hardware front.