Apple ventures into new realms. With the Apple Vision Pro, the company has presented its own mixed reality headset for the first time. In this article you can find out what the glasses can do and why they are so popular in general.
The manufacturer himself describes the Apple Vision Pro as a “revolutionary spatial computer that seamlessly connects digital content with the physical world“. What is meant by this is the display of a three-dimensional user interface that is embedded in the real world when the glasses are worn. This can be simple entertainment applications such as “Apple TV” or practical tools for everyday office life. With visionOS, a new operating system was specially created for the use of the glasses.
The two high-resolution displays of the Apple Vision Pro should be able to display a total of 23 million individual pixels. For comparison: a Meta Quest 2 has a little more than 7 million pixels. Among other things, this extremely sharp display should enable wearers to enter a kind of digital cinema with a screen that feels 30 meters wide. Meanwhile, a 3D audio system should provide the right sound.
At the push of a button, the environment can be transformed into impressive landscapes or other backgrounds. With the help of a digital crown, the transparency can be changed at any time. So you can decide for yourself how much you want to immerse yourself in virtual reality. As soon as a person approaches, it automatically switches back to the real environment. The eyes of the wearer are projected through the glasses to outsiders.
Incidentally, everything else is controlled via hand movements, looks or voice inputs. There are no additional controllers, as known from other VR headsets. However, classic gaming controllers should be supported as well as the use of Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad.
Of course, the Vision Pro integrates perfectly into Apple’s other ecosystem. For example, content from a Mac can be transferred to the glasses in 4K. This was demonstrated using the video editing software Final Cut Pro. For video calls, your own face can be transformed into a 3D model so that the person you are talking to can also see you. Apple Vision Pro users can also do things together, like watch a movie, browse photos, or collaborate on a presentation.
The modular system of the glasses should enable a perfect fit for a wide range of people. The light seal is made of a soft fabric and is available in multiple shapes and sizes. It is bendable to fit users’ faces. Flexible straps ensure sound output stays close to the ears. The headband is made of one piece in three dimensions and is available in several sizes. It’s soft, breathable and stretchy. The band is secured with a simple mechanism, which should make it easy to change to a different size or style.
However, this concentrated amount of technology and innovations has its price. When the Apple Vision Pro launches next spring, it’s expected to start at $3,499. So the glasses should only be interesting for real enthusiasts for the time being. Experience has shown that it is only a matter of time before the technology has arrived on the inexpensive mass market. And then the Apple Vision Pro could have an effect similar to the launch of the first iPhone.
What: Apple