Apple actually did it. They announced their long-awaited mixed-reality headset at its WWDC keynote today, with CEO Tim Cook pulling out a “one more thing” from the Steve Jobs playbook.
Apple Vision Pro is the name of the headset and it looks like ski goggles on your face, a combination of materials and a design that takes cues from AirPods Max, Apple Watch and more.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era for computing,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO in a statement. “Just as the Mac introduced us to personal computing, and iPhone introduced us to mobile computing, Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing. Built upon decades of Apple innovation, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before — with a revolutionary new input system and thousands of groundbreaking innovations. It unlocks incredible experiences for our users and exciting new opportunities for our developers.”
“Creating our first spatial computer required invention across nearly every facet of the system,” said Mike Rockwell, Apple’s vice president of the Technology Development Group. “Through a tight integration of hardware and software, we designed a standalone spatial computer in a compact wearable form factor that is the most advanced personal electronics device ever.”
Here are all the Vision Pro specs we know so far:
Innovative Workspace
Immersive Entertainment
3D Camera Capabilities
Connectivity and Collaboration
Innovative Design
Power and Audio
User Interaction
Advanced Technology
Vision Pro pricing is starting from $3,499 USD (about $4,700 CAD) and will be available “early next year” first in the U.S., then expanding to more countries.
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5,000 patents..crazy..at least the lawyers had been busy..haha.
I got bad vibes from the keynote part where they showed people wearing the headset and going about their day, reaching into the fridge and interacting with people around them… It somehow felt like living in a dystopian future.
Not to mention Apple didn’t want to show the external battery that attaches separately. Others at event said that the battery is bigger than existing iPhones.
It was in fact shown at 1:47:00 during the presentation. You can check it in the video of WWDC 2023 Apple posted on YouTube
$4700 CAD for a VR/AR headset that has no initial app ecosystem. You will be able to automatically connect to your Mac, and/or iPhone, and run some existing apps that run on those devices. In other words you can see your desktop view on this Vision Pro headset, that is currently running on your Mac, which is pretty cool. However there is still no real native apps that truly take advantage of this headset. Unity support is great, especially since I develop in Unity. The pixel width and height on this Vision Pro headset is just over 2 times better than the Quest Pro, and Quest 2, which is really good. There is no controllers that come with this Vision Pro headset, but Apple looks like they are allowing Playstation controllers, and maybe XBox controllers to work with their headset, which would be needed for many existing games, and apps. But Apple should have included some 6 degrees of freedom controllers as well. That way you could take many existing VR games, and port them over, and take advantage of using VR controllers. Like play VR versions of Onward (Call of Duty type game), or Population One (Fortnite VR clone).
See those VR controllers that are found on other headsets give you lots of buttons that can be used to switch between weapons, shoot, and more. Plus the tracking of a controller can be the actual gun or weapon in the VR game. Using your hands for all that, instead of a VR controller, I have a really hard time trying to figure out how you would hold a weapon, and/or switch between different weapons, grenades, or other tools. While still being able to fire a gun at the same time in a game like Call of Duty. Even driving around in a VR game, like Need for Speed VR. There is a lot of great uses for a separate VR tracking controller. Just look at other AR/VR platforms. Look at the Quest 2 right now, which is selling for $420 CAD at bestbuy. That is 1/11 the price of Apples headset, and it comes with 2 controllers. An even better version is the Quest Pro, which comes with even better self tracking controllers, that can track out of your vision, and the Quest Pro even has full eye, face, hand, and finger tracking for $1300 CAD.
Yeah John Carmack discovered this ages ago when he wanted the Quest to be controlled with hands only. Controllers offer multiple buttons, haptics and something tangible to grip on to. Beat Sabre won’t feel as satisfying without the haptic buzz of your lightsaber slicing through a cube for e.g. It feels like gripping a real lightsaber and slices like a real lightsaber. The best you can do with the Vision Pro is to wave around an Xbox controller – which is very telling that they support it since it’s admitting you can’t do it all with just your eyes and hands.
Yeah, using hand and finger gestures will NEVER give you rapid input. Not to the extent of a physical controller with multiple buttons, triggers, and thumbstick controls. If Apple doesn’t include a physical controller with this Vision Pro platform, then it will NEVER be a competing VR gaming platform.
Don’t know why tech companies and youtubers wants to push VR headsets in our throats that much. I have absolutely no interest on VR headsets and probably never will. I also know anybody who are so excited on theses as well.
This ain’t VR
despite the crazy prize, the tech here is equally insane.
Wow, so not sold on this.