We’ve been waiting a long time for the Apple Vision Pro, which was first announced in June during Apple’s annual WWDC event. Yesterday, we learned that the Vision Pro will go on sale on Friday, February 2, with preorders opening on Friday, January 19 – and some other new details have emerged, as well as its first video ad (below).
As Apple enters full sales mode for this costly mixed reality headset, it answers some of our remaining questions about the device and gives us a clearer understanding of what it can do. Given that one of these will cost you $3,499 (approximately ₹290238.85 / AU$5,225) and more, you’ll undoubtedly want all of the details you can get.
Here at TechRadar, we’ve already spent some hands-on time with the Vision Pro and seen how 3D spatial videos look on it. Here’s what else we’ve learned about the Vision Pro during the previous 24 hours.
1. Apple believes it deserves to be in a science fiction film
Take a look at this brand new advertisement for the Apple Vision Pro and see how many iconic films you can identify. There’s a sci-fi element here, with flicks like Back to the Future and Star Wars included, and Apple clearly wants to underline the device’s futuristic nature (and make strapping something to your face appear hip rather than nerdy).
If you have a good memory, you may recall that one of the original iPhone advertisements used small excerpts from a variety of films starring Marilyn Monroe, Michael Douglas, and Steve McQueen. After 16 years, Apple is once again leveraging the power of movies to promote a new piece of hardware.
2. The battery will not last the duration of Oppenheimer
Speaking of movies, if you want to watch Oppenheimer in its entirety on the Apple Vision Pro, you’ll need to recharge. Christopher Nolan’s epic film lasts three hours and one minute, although the Vision Pro product website (via MacRumors) estimates a battery life of 2.5 hours for watching 2D videos.
That occurs when you are watching a video in the Apple TV app while immersed in one of the virtual settings created by the Vision Pro. Interestingly, the product page wording claiming that the device may function endlessly if plugged into a power source has been silently removed.
3. The software remains a work in progress
Given the expensive price of the Apple Vision Pro and reports of restricted availability, this does not feel like a mainstream product that Apple expects everyone to buy. It’s obviously not an iPhone or an Apple Watch, though a cheaper Vision Pro, which is reported to be in the works, could change the dynamic slightly.
With that in mind, the program still appears to be a work in progress. As 9to5Mac noted in the official Vision Pro press release, the Persona feature will be labeled as beta for the time being – that is, you will be represented in video chats by a 3D digital avatar who does not wear a clunky mixed reality headgear.
4. This is what you’ll receive in the box
According to Apple’s official press release, if you purchase a Vision Pro, you will receive two separate bands to wrap around your head: the Solo Knit Band and the Dual Loop Band, though the differences between them are not immediately evident.
The box also includes a light seal, two light seal cushions, a “Apple Vision Pro Cover” for the front of the headset, an external battery back, a USB-C charging cable, a USB-C power adapter, and an official Apple polishing cloth.
5. Apple may offer an app that helps you fit the headset
When it comes to fitting the Apple Vision Pro snugly to your head, we believe Apple will encourage purchasers to visit a physical store where they may be assisted by a professional. However, it appears that Apple has plans to ensure you get the optimum fit at home.
As reported by Patently Apple, Apple has filed a new patent for a “fit guidance” system within an iPhone app. It will supposedly function with “head-mountable devices” – similar to the Vision Pro – and appears to be meant to prevent the user experience from being ruined by a poorly fitted headset.
6. There will be a lot of information to watch
Another interesting detail from the Apple Vision Pro news release is that consumers would be able to access “more than 150 3D titles with incredible depth” via the Apple TV app. Apple is also unveiling a new Immersive footage format, which promises 180-degree, three-dimensional footage in 8K resolution.
This 3D film could be one of the most convincing reasons to get an Apple Vision Pro; we were certainly impressed when we got to check it out for ourselves, and you can even record your own spatial video for playback on the headset if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max.
1 Comment