Apple has finally confirmed the release date for Apple Vision Pro in the United States, and after a brief pre-order period, it will start arriving in users' hands on February 2.
Since its launch at the 2023 WWDC conference, Apple has repeatedly said that Apple Vision Pro will be available sometime in early 2024, but has not confirmed an exact date. Now, Apple has finally confirmed the launch date of its mixed reality headset: Apple’s headset will ship on February 2. Pre-orders start on January 19th.
As Apple explained shortly after launching Apple Vision Pro, the product will only be available in the United States, with more countries coming later this year.
Sales will be through Apple's website and a limited number of Apple stores nationwide. Since the body and lenses will be adjusted to each customer's personal circumstances, customers will need to make an appointment to try it on at an Apple store before receiving the headset.
Pricing for the Apple Vision Pro has already been announced and is still $3,499 before adding accessories.
Apple Vision Pro is equipped with a single-knit webbing strap and a double-loop strap, so users can choose the wearing method that suits them best. Apple Vision Pro also includes a Light Seal, two Light Seal Cushions, an Apple Vision Pro Cover for the front of the device, polishing cloth, battery, USB-C charging cable, and USB-C power adapter.
Lenses are available for $99, and Zeiss Optical prescription lenses are available for $149.
Apple Vision Pro is the iPhone maker's first official foray into head-mounted devices. It's actually a very high-spec VR headset, using an array of external sensors and 23 million pixels on two displays to deliver a high-quality mixed reality experience.
The headset adopts a dual-chip design customized by AppleSilicon. The M2 chip processes applications and the R1 chip handles dedicated tasks for the headset, thereby achieving real-time rendering of spatial calculations. Users can turn the Digital Crown for a fully immersive experience or one that blends with the local environment.
Users can create a persona for the headset, a digital avatar of themselves that appears in FaceTime calls and apps.
EyeSight is a unique feature from Apple that displays the user character's eyes on an external display, giving the impression that the user is looking at someone or something in the local environment. This lets others know if the user can see them while wearing the headset, with visualizations appearing when they are fully immersed.
This certainly won't be Apple's only foray into head-mounted spatial computing, but it could be one of Apple's most expensive products. Apple is already rumored to be developing a more affordable version with fewer features, as well as a full second-generation model.