Apple has officially announced the release date of its highly anticipated Vision Pro headset, which is set to hit the US market on February 2nd.
Priced at $3,499, the mixed reality device is available for pre-order in the US from mid-January, with no UK launch date set yet.
The Vision Pro represents the first major release of Apple’s product since the debut of the Apple Watch in 2015, and has generated considerable buzz since its introduction in June 2023.
Despite the excitement surrounding the headset, there were production issues. The Financial Times reported that Apple has significantly reduced its production forecasts, lowering the estimate from one million units to 400,000 for 2024.
Along with announcing the release date, Apple revealed that the device will have 256GB of storage, highlighting the ability of its eye-tracking technology to work with a single dominant eye.
In a unique move to differentiate the Vision Pro from other devices, Apple has instructed developers to refer to their apps as “spatial computing,” discouraging the use of terms such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (XR ), or mixed reality (MR).
The company also posted an online trailer that commemorates the iPhone’s launch in 2007, with movie characters wearing the headphones.
While Apple envisions the Vision Pro as a potentially lucrative venture, its high price may limit widespread adoption. The immersive experience of the headset, tested by the BBC in June, offers a minimalistic design typical of Apple.
With gesture controls and a physical dial to adjust immersion levels, the mixed reality device aims to redefine user interactions and signal a new era of Apple products.
