Apple Unveils Augmented Reality Vision Pro Headset

(RTTNews) - Apple (AAPL) launched its latest product Vision Pro headset officially on Friday in the U.S. stores.

The augmented reality headset touted as "the most advanced consumer electronics device ever created" by CEO Tim Cook, was Apple's first new product in almost seven years.

The headset looks like a designer ski goggles with soft adjustable strap on the top, a digital crown on the back and another one on the top, which also functions as a home button.

According to The New York Times, the Vision Pro headset priced at $3,499 could cost up to $4,600, if additional accessories like $200 travel case, $50 battery pack holder, prescription lens starting at $149, reading lens starting at $99, and more are factored in the original cost.

The headset has a storage capacity of 256 GB. Its battery size is similar to that of an iPhone and provides around 2.5 hours of battery life on a single charge. The speakers are positioned close to the ears to provide rich immersive audio.

The headset "seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world and unlocks powerful spatial experiences in visionOS, controlled by the most natural and intuitive inputs possible - a user's eyes, hands, and voice," Apple said.

On initiating the setup process, the headset would scan the user's eyes, hands and the room. Later, it will lead users to an iOS-like interface, through which they can also activate Siri.

The users can activate the select button to move across the apps by using eye movements, and touching the thumb and pointer finger together on the headset.

Vision Pro offers an ultra-high-resolution display with more pixels than a 4K TV for each eye, enhancing the user's visual experience as the images and videos would appear more life-like.

Speaking about the headset's appstore, Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations said, "With more than 600 new spatial experiences to explore in the all-new App Store, alongside more than 1 million compatible apps across iOS and iPadOS, users can discover a wide array of apps that expand the boundaries of what's possible. These incredible apps will change how we experience entertainment, music, and games; spark our imaginations with new ways to learn and explore; unlock productivity like never before; and so much more".

To reduce motion sickness experienced by users while wearing similar headsets, the tech giant had included a custom chip to cut down the latency issue.

Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple analyst, said that the company had sold an estimated 160,000 to 180,000 Vision Pro headsets during the first pre-order weekend. Analysts at Morgan Stanley estimate that the company will sell around 400,000 Vision Pro units this year.