The Apple Vision Pro, the first mixed reality headset from Apple, was unveiled at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday. Equipped with high-resolution displays and EyeSight technology, the wearer can remain aware of their surroundings. The device supports augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), and features eye and voice control support.
The mixed reality headset resembles ski goggles, with an aluminum frame and a glass display. It has a fabric-lined mask and strap attached to the wearer’s face. The device is powered by a battery pack worn by the user, connected via a cable on the left side.
Control of the device can be achieved through eye movement, where users can look at graphical elements on the display. Users can also use finger taps and voice commands to control objects and enter text.
The Apple Vision Pro utilizes camera sensors placed around the device to allow users to see their surroundings using EyeSight. In AR mode, the wearer’s eyes are visible to others. A dial on the right edge can switch between AR and VR modes, providing access to specific apps.
Specifications of the Apple Vision Pro include dual Micro OLED displays with 23 million pixels, a custom 3D lens for viewing AR content, and foveated rendering to display the highest resolution image in the viewer’s line of sight. The device is equipped with a full sensor array, including main cameras, downward cameras for hand tracking, IR illuminators, and side cameras. It also features a LiDAR scanner and TrueDepth cameras for hand tracking and spatial understanding.
The Apple Vision Pro is powered by Apple’s M2 chip and a new chip called R1, based on M2. It supports 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones. The headset can display images within 12ms, and it offers personalized Spatial Audio through two individually amplified drivers.
User authentication is achieved through Optic ID, which scans the user’s iris and verifies it on the headset’s processor’s Secure Enclave. The device also uses its sensors to create a user’s “Persona,” a life-size representation of their face during FaceTime calls, excluding the headset.
Running on the visionOS operating system, the headset features a real-time subsystem, a spatial audio engine, a multi-app 3D engine, and a foveated renderer for optimized performance. The operating system is compatible with iOS and spatial frameworks.
Apple has announced partnerships with Disney to bring AR-enhanced content and with Unity to offer native support for several apps, including Zoom, Cisco WebEx, Adobe Lightroom, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Microsoft Teams, when the headset becomes available next year.
The price of the Apple Vision Pro is set at $3,499 and it will be available for sale early next year on Apple.com and Apple retail stores in the US. Availability in other markets, including India, has not been announced yet.
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