Apple has officially stepped into virtual/artificial reality. Yesterday they showed off their newest product, the Apple Vision Pro Headset. It looks state-of-the-art and stylish too. But, it will cost you a pretty penny to step into AR. The new headset will cost $3,499 and drop in early 2024.
For comparison, Apple’s competition Meta announced the Quest 3 at a price point of $499. The Quest has been around for years and people love it. Their highest-performing Quest model runs a $1,499 price tag. Apple has long established itself as a designer brand, look at the iPhone’s cost for instance. People flock to the newest version of those and you can expect the same here.
Unlike Meta’s headsets, the Apple Vision Pro uses augmented reality rather than virtual reality. The difference is that augmented reality is less immersive, allowing users to take advantage of the technology without being completely separated from their surroundings. Imagine you sitting in your living room being able to project Netflix or read some emails. A major plus, it will be able to track your hands, rather than you needing separate devices to hold.
Similar to the Meta Quest Pro, Apple is advertising this device to be used in part for the workplace. It may replace your laptop for instance. Its visionOS runs on the same framework as iOS and iPadOS, meaning it will be compatible with many existing apps. But already, Apple says that the headset will work with Microsoft Office apps, as well as video conferencing services like WebEX and Zoom.
Apple has a devoted fanbase that will need to try these out. Give it time and they may release a cheaper version for all to enjoy. For now, AR and VR are taking a step into our everyday life.
