Apple has always been at the forefront of technological innovation, and their latest product, the Apple Vision Pro, is no exception. This groundbreaking device represents Apple’s first venture into the world of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), offering users a whole new way to interact with digital content.
What is the Apple Vision Pro?
The Apple Vision Pro is a headset that you wear, much like a pair of glasses. It’s equipped with cutting-edge technology such as 4K micro-OLED displays, which provide stunning visuals, and more than a dozen cameras for gesture and eye-based control. This means you can use your hands and eyes to interact with the digital world, creating a truly immersive experience.
One of the standout features of the Vision Pro is its ability to switch between AR and VR. In AR mode, you can see the real world around you, but with digital content overlaid on top. This could be anything from directions to a location, to a game that uses your surroundings as part of the gameplay. In VR mode, you’re fully immersed in a digital world, which is great for things like watching movies or playing video games.
The Vision Pro also introduces visionOS, a new operating system designed specifically for the device. This means it has its own apps and features, separate from iOS or macOS.
What is the Difference Between AR and VR?
While both AR and VR offer immersive experiences, they do so in different ways.
Virtual Reality (VR) is a fully generated digital world that supersedes your immediate external environment. VR headsets completely take over your vision to give you the impression that you’re somewhere else. The outside world is replaced with a virtual one. For both games and apps, virtual reality supersedes your surroundings.
On the other hand, Augmented Reality (AR) is a virtual layer added on top of the real world. Instead of being totally immersed in computer-generated digital surroundings, you mostly see the real world with a few virtual additions. These can be anything from pop-up notifications and directions to where you’re going to an icon displaying the speed you’re skiing at or instructions on how to service an engine.
When is the Release Date of Apple Vision Pro? and Pricing?
The Apple Vision Pro will be available in the U.S. starting from Friday, February 2, 2024. Pre-orders for the Apple Vision Pro began on Friday, January 19, 2024. It’s a high-end product with a starting price of $3,500, and it’s initially only available in the U.S.
Reviews and Feedback
Several reviews about the Apple Vision Pro have been published. Here are some highlights:
- MKBHD: Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, found the eye tracking to be impressive and described it as “sick”. He also praised the pass-through as the best he’s ever seen. However, he found the Digital Personas to be too uncanny and EyeSight to be “creepy”.
- Mrwhosetheboss: Mrwhosetheboss believes that the Apple Vision Pro could possibly replace the smartphone one day.
- The Verge’s Nilay Patel: Nilay Patel found that the Vision Pro has a lot of ideas and they’re all executed with thoughtful intention. However, he also pointed out that some of these core ideas might not be executed well enough to become mainstream.
- The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern: Joanna Stern described the Vision Pro as having all the characteristics of a first-generation product: it’s big and heavy, has limited battery life, and can be buggy. Despite these issues, she praised the Vision Pro for its immersive capabilities.
- CNET’s Scott Stein: Scott Stein was impressed by the quality of the displays on the Vision Pro, describing them as vivid, richly colored, and stunning.
- Tom’s Guide’s Mark Spoonaeur: Mark Spoonaeur found the Vision Pro to be a truly amazing product that delivers a futuristic eye- and hand-tracking interface along with breathtaking 3D video and impressive AR apps. However, he also noted some early performance bugs and mentioned that the battery can get in the way.
Here is a summary table of the pros and cons:
| Reviewer | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| MKBHD | Impressive eye tracking, Best ever pass-through, Entertainment potential | 3D camera “wasn’t cool”, Digital Personas too uncanny, EyeSight is “creepy” |
| Mrwhosetheboss | Potential to replace smartphones | – |
| The Verge’s Nilay Patel | A lot of ideas executed with thoughtful intention | Some core ideas might not be executed well enough to become mainstream |
| The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern | Immersive capabilities | Big and heavy, Limited battery life, Can be buggy |
| CNET’s Scott Stein | Quality of the displays | – |
| Tom’s Guide’s Mark Spoonaeur | Futuristic eye- and hand-tracking interface, Breathtaking 3D video, Impressive AR apps | Early performance bugs, Battery can get in the way |
What are the Technical Specifications of Apple Vision Pro?
Here are the technical specifications of the Apple Vision Pro:
- Capacity: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- Display: 23 million pixels 3D display system, Micro‑OLED 7.5‑micron pixel pitch, 92% DCI‑P3, Supported refresh rates: 90Hz, 96Hz, 100Hz, Supports playback multiples of 24fps and 30fps for judder‑free video
- Chips: 8‑core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, 10‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, 16GB unified memory, 12‑millisecond photon‑to‑photon latency, 256GB/s memory bandwidth
- Camera: Stereoscopic 3D main camera system, Spatial photo and video capture, 18 mm, ƒ/2.00 aperture, 6.5 stereo megapixels
- Sensors: Two high‑resolution main cameras, Six world‑facing tracking cameras, Four eye‑tracking cameras, TrueDepth camera, LiDAR Scanner, Four inertial measurement units (IMUs), Flicker sensor, Ambient light sensor
- Optic ID: Iris‑based biometric authentication, Optic ID data is encrypted and accessible only to the Secure Enclave processor
- Audio Technology: Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, Personalized Spatial Audio and audio ray tracing, Six‑mic array with directional beamforming, Supports H2‑to‑H2 ultra‑low‑latency connection to AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C)
- Battery: Up to 2 hours of general use, Video watching up to 2.5 hours, Apple Vision Pro can be used while charging the battery
- Connectivity and Wireless: Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3
- Operating System: visionOS
- Input: Hands, Eyes, Voice
- Supported Input Accessories: Keyboards, Trackpads, Game controllers
- Interpupillary Distance (IPD): 51–75 mm
- Device Weight: 21.2–22.9 ounces (600–650 g), Separate battery weighs 353g.
Design Details
The Apple Vision Pro is designed with a focus on performance, mobility, and wearability. Here are some design details:
- Front: A singular piece of three-dimensionally formed laminated glass flows into an aluminum alloy frame that curves to wrap around your face.
- Light Seal: The Light Seal gently flexes to conform to your face, delivering a precise fit while blocking out stray light.
- Headbands: The Solo Knit Band provides cushioning, breathability, and stretch, and a Fit Dial lets you adjust Apple Vision Pro precisely to your head.
- Dual-Chip Design: A unique dual‑chip design enables the spatial experiences on Apple Vision Pro. The powerful M2 chip simultaneously runs visionOS, executes advanced computer vision algorithms, and delivers stunning graphics, all with incredible efficiency.
- Cameras: Vision Pro is physically opaque, but uses high-resolution color cameras to show you the real world, and a display on the front to show your eyes to other people.
Conclusion
In summary, the Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary product that offers a new way to interact with digital content, whether that’s in the form of AR or VR. It’s a glimpse into the future of technology, and it’s here today. Despite being a first-generation product with some limitations, the Vision Pro has received positive reviews for its innovative features and immersive capabilities. It’s not for everyone due to its high price point, but for those who are interested in the latest technology and have the budget for it, the Vision Pro offers a unique and exciting experience..
