Apple on Monday unveiled ‘Vision Pro,’ its first “mixed” (virtual and augmented) reality headset, thus signalling its entry into a field currently dominated by Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Quest).
“Blending digital content with the real world can unlock experiences like nothing we’ve ever seen,” Apple boss Tim Cook quipped before unveiling the “revolutionary new product.”
He did not immediately reveal the price of the new device. However, before the official presentation, several experts estimated it at around $3,000.
The new headset – which is not wireless, unlike the recent Quest (Meta) or Vive (HTC) models – was launched at the WWDC, Apple’s annual conference for developers.
Users will be able to go into parallel universes, such as meditative landscapes, personal videos, video games or video conferencing, and choose the degree of immersion, thanks to a button that adjusts the screen from augmented reality (superimposing virtual elements on reality) to virtual reality (full immersion).
Vision Pro is a new kind of computer that augments reality by seamlessly blending the real and the digital, Cook explained.
Apple was hoping to release a product closer to a pair of glasses than a video game headset, Insider Intelligence analyst Yory Wurmser recently commented.
However, it looks like they are going to unveil something bigger (and certainly more expensive), because they want enthusiasts and engineers to use it and start building an ecosystem of dedicated apps, before designing lighter, cheaper devices for the general public, Wurmser said.
Virtual reality is currently dominated by Meta. Its Quest-branded headsets accounted for more than 80% of the market by the end of 2022.
