Apple unveils highly Anticipated AR Headset, the Apple Vision Pro, with seamless real and digital world integration

Apple has finally unveiled its highly anticipated AR headset, the Apple Vision Pro, which seamlessly merges the real and digital worlds. Priced at $3,499, the device is controlled using eyes, hands, and voice. It will launch in the US market early next year and later expand globally. The headset can switch between augmented reality and full virtual reality modes, offering users flexibility in their experiences.

The Apple Vision Pro operates on the visionOS, the Apple's new spatial operating system (as they called it), allowing users to browse app icons with their gaze, tap to select, flick to scroll, and give voice commands. The device features a glass front, aluminum frame, five sensors, 12 cameras, and a 4K display for each eye. The M2 chip and the new R1 chip power the device, promising exceptional performance and graphics. Zeiss has designed custom optical inserts for users who wear glasses, which magnetically attach to the lenses.

The headset supports Bluetooth accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, and it can be connected to a Mac for seamless integration. It includes downward-facing cameras for hand tracking, even when hands are resting low on the body. An external battery, lasting up to two hours, can be connected via a woven cable or external power source. Apple also promises an unprecedentedly sharp display capable of delivering 4K video. The Apple Vision Pro incorporates EyeSight technology to display the user's eyes and creates a digital "persona" through face scanning. Users can see the real world in full color with passthrough video while projecting 3D objects into real space. Additionally, spatial audio enables users to arrange FaceTime participants as video tiles during remote conversations. The device also features a built-in 3D camera for capturing and experiencing 180-degree videos. Apple plans to offer TV and Arcade content on the headset, including premium content from Disney+.

The launch of Apple Vision Pro has given rise to a new business line for the company, which has been highly anticipated by consumers in recent years. There is hope that its introduction will serve as the catalyst for augmented reality and virtual reality technology to truly become a mainstream consumer technology. Other tech giants have also attempted to achieve this before, several efforts from companies like Microsoft (with the fading HoloLens), Google (remember Google Lens?), and Meta (formerly Facebook), which is expected to be their primary competitor with its successful Quest 2 headset and the mixed reception of the Quest Pro. As these industry leaders compete for dominance in the AR and VR space, there still remain lingering doubts among users about the future viability of this vision. While Apple's new device shows great promise, it will definitely face challenges in convincing the average market users, especially due to its poor battery life and its exorbitant and prohibitive price.