The rumour mills have been busy. It’s not unusual whenever Apple unveils a new product. This one’s a special product. Apple would like us to see it as a birth of a new product category. They call it a ‘standalone spatial computer in a compact wearable form factor that is the most advanced personal electronics device ever.’ It finally kept its date on June 5, 2023. Apple couldn’t have picked a better audience to show off its ‘vision’ for a new era. The launch of Apple Vision Pro coincided with WWDC (World-wide developers conference) 2023. It’s the developers who first need to buy into Apple’s bold new vision. Here’s all you need to know about Apple Vision Pro and what Apple is calling spatial computing. 

Apple Calls It Special Reality, Apple’s Spin On Mixed Reality  

Analysts have been predicting that Apple expects the iPhone to make way for AR or mixed reality by the 2030s. We could be seeing the beginning of this change with Apple Vision Pro. If it takes off, this will change our screen interactions, a definite shift from the ‘pinch and zoom’ era as we know it. Apple calls it a spatial computer that seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world, while allowing users to stay present and connected to others. Apple Vision Pro also features EyeSight, an innovation that helps users stay connected with those around them. 

It’s Like A Personal Screen, Without Borders 

It’s the borderless screen that we’re excited about. Packed with two ultra-high-resolution displays, Apple Vision Pro can transform any space into a personal movie theatre with a screen that feels 100 feet wide and an advanced Spatial Audio system. These ground-breaking innovations are powered by Apple silicon in a unique dual-chip design. M2 delivers unparalleled standalone performance, while the brand-new R1 chip processes input from 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones to ensure that content feels like it is appearing right in front of your eyes, in real-time.  

Premium appeal 

This is the best-looking headset we’ve ever seen and is finished with premium materials including laminated glass and a gorgeous aluminum alloy frame. The headband is customisable to enable the perfect fit. Apple has created visionOS, the world’s first spatial operating system to allow you to interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in your space. It’s made possible by an ultra-high-resolution display system that packs 23 million pixels across two displays, and custom Apple silicon in a unique dual-chip design to ensure every experience feels like it’s taking place right in front of your eyes in real-time. 

Welcome To A Whole New Operating System  

Rival headsets might have failed in their bid for widescale consumer adoption but Apple is betting big on visionOS, a whole new operating system with a dedicated App Store that will integrate the best of Apple apps that we are familiar with. It features a three-dimensional interface that frees apps from the boundaries of a display so they can appear side by side at any scale. Apple believes that we can be productive without the boundaries of screen real estate, being able to access all our favourite apps. We might well find new ways to multi-task in the process. You can browse through apps by simply looking at them, tapping your fingers to select, flicking your wrist to scroll, or using voice to dictate.  

It’s Not Just A Play Device  

Most of the VR headsets have built their pitch on gaming and entertainment. The Vision Pro is making a play to be a laptop replacement with support for Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. This allows you to set up the perfect workspace and bring the powerful capabilities of your Mac into Vision Pro wirelessly, creating an enormous, private, and portable 4K display with crisp text. 

It’s Like Black Mirror Unfolding Right Before Your Eyes  

One of the key differentiators of Apple Vision Pro is that it allows users to stay connected with people in your external environment, thanks to Apple’s EyeSight. When a person approaches someone wearing Vision Pro, the device feels transparent — letting the user see them while also displaying the user’s eyes. When a user is immersed in an environment or using an app, EyeSight gives visual cues to others about what the user is focused on. Just you wait till you start seeing these in airplane cabins.  

You Can’t ‘Look Into It’ Until 2024 

While most leaks predicted a $3000 price tag for the new headset, Apple announced that the Vision Pro would debut at $3,499 (About Rs 2.89 lacs). It’s significantly higher than rivals like Meta (whose upcoming Meta Quest 3 headset will be priced at $500/Rs 41,500). The Vision Pro will first be available in the US in early 2024, giving developers enough time to start populating the visionOS app store. It will debut in other countries later in 2024.