Michelle ThompsonApple’s Vision Pro, marking the company’s first new product in seven years, is now officially available in stores across the US. The mixed reality headset debuted at Apple Stores nationwide, drawing eager customers who were among the first to experience what is anticipated to be one of the most groundbreaking tech products in recent years.
At the launch event in Apple’s New York City Flagship Store on Friday morning, CEO Tim Cook personally greeted and engaged with waiting customers, shaking hands, and taking selfies as employees celebrated the occasion. Approximately 200 individuals had formed a line ahead of the 8 a.m. launch, including customers from various parts of the world.
To enhance the customer experience, private one-on-one demonstrations of the Vision Pro are also being offered at retail stores on a first-come, first-served basis. This initiative aims to provide interested individuals with a more personalized understanding of the innovative mixed reality headset.
Individuals had the opportunity to participate in a demonstration of the Apple Vision Pro headset at the Fifth Avenue Apple store on February 02, 2024, in New York City. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and Senior Vice President of Retail and People Deirdre O’Brien were present at the opening of the Apple store on Fifth Avenue to mark the launch of the Vision Pro headset. This event marked a significant milestone for Apple as the company introduced its first new product in seven years, generating considerable anticipation and excitement among consumers.
CEO Tim Cook has consistently highlighted the potential of augmented reality to enhance communication and collaboration. With the release of a device that integrates both virtual reality and augmented reality—technology that overlays virtual images on live video of the real world—Cook faces the challenge of demonstrating that this blend is the future of computing.
Prior to the launch, Cook described the device as “the most advanced consumer electronics device ever created,” indicating the company’s confidence in the innovative capabilities and impact of the mixed reality technology integrated into the product.
On February 2, 2024, the initial customer exited the Apple Store in New York, proudly carrying their newly acquired Vision Pro headset. Priced at $3,499, this headset marks a significant release for the tech giant, representing its first major product launch since the introduction of the Apple Watch nine years ago.
The Vision Pro headset, priced at $3,499, presents a challenging sell due to its considerable cost and somewhat bulky design. With 256 GB of storage, the device offers prescription lens inserts starting at $149, and reading lens inserts starting at $99. When factoring in additional accessories like a $200 travel case, a $50 battery pack holder, and more, the total cost can reach up to $4,600, as reported by The New York Times.
Entering a market where extended reality (XR), encompassing augmented, virtual, and mixed reality, has seen limited mainstream consumer adoption, the Vision Pro faces some initial hurdles. The headset has a limited selection of apps at launch and is tethered to a battery pack roughly the size of an iPhone, providing about 2.5 hours of battery life on a single charge.
Despite these challenges, the Vision Pro offers an unparalleled experience in watching immersive videos and interacting with the surrounding environment. While the XR market may be in a plateau with modest consumer adoption, the Vision Pro provides a glimpse into the future, even if it is an early and relatively expensive prototype.
The experience for users
The Vision Pro headset resembles a pair of designer ski goggles, showcasing a sleek design. It incorporates a soft and adjustable strap on the top, while the back features a “digital crown” — a larger version compared to that on an Apple Watch. Additionally, there’s another digital crown on the top, functioning as a sort of home button.
Despite being a computing device worn around the eyes, the headset is described as surprisingly light and comfortable to wear. This design focus on comfort, along with the intuitive control features, aims to enhance the overall user experience. The setup process for the Vision Pro headset is straightforward. Initially, the device tracks the eyes, scans hands, and maps the room. Following this, users are presented with an iOS-like interface seamlessly integrated into their surroundings. This user-friendly setup is designed to enhance the overall ease of use and accessibility of the mixed reality device.
In this image captured on February 2, 2024, at the Apple Store in New York City, a person is seen wearing the Vision Pro headset during its product release. Priced at $3,499, the Vision Pro marks a significant milestone for the tech giant, representing its first major release in nine years since the introduction of the Apple Watch. The launch event drew attention as customers eagerly experienced Apple’s latest innovation in mixed reality technology.
The Vision Pro headset offers an intuitive user interface where eye movements and the gesture of touching the thumb and pointer finger together activate a “select” button. This feature allows users to seamlessly navigate in and out of apps, including Messages, FaceTime, Safari, and Photos. Additionally, the interface is responsive to voice commands, enabling users to activate Siri effortlessly.
The Photos app on the Vision Pro provides a unique and immersive experience. Users can view photos at life size or as if they are watching them on a giant movie screen. Panoramic photos place users directly within the scene, offering an enhanced sense of immersion. Furthermore, the Vision Pro introduces a spatial photo option, enabling users to view images and videos in 3D, enhancing the overall realism of the visual experience.
In this scene captured on February 2, 2024, employees stand within an Apple store in Los Angeles, California, on the day the Vision Pro headset is made available for sale for the first time. The launch of Apple’s innovative mixed reality device has garnered attention and excitement, as customers explore the cutting-edge technology in various Apple stores across the country.
The Vision Pro offers diverse use cases, catering to activities such as cooking, meditating, and work. Users can synchronize their Mac computer with the headset to transform the screen into a large display and connect a physical keyboard for added functionality.
For enhanced productivity, multiple windows can be open simultaneously, allowing users to manage tasks such as keeping email on one side, browsing Safari in the middle, and engaging in a FaceTime call on the right. During FaceTime calls while wearing the Vision Pro, users appear as a Persona, an avatar-like digital representation of their face.
The true standout feature of the Vision Pro lies in its immersive video experiences. In a demonstration, users watched “Star Wars” clips on Disney+ while seated inside a virtual representation of Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder, providing a delightfully immersive movie-watching experience. Another example included viewing a 3D underwater scene from “Avatar 2,” which felt surreal, placing users right in the ocean.
To address motion sickness concerns common in other headsets, Apple has incorporated a custom chip that reduces latency issues. The Vision Pro also boasts surround sound, with audio pods located outside the ears to deliver rich and immersive audio.
Apple has taken steps to assist users in navigating their new headset by providing a nearly 10-minute guided tour on its website, offering valuable insights and instructions for a seamless experience.
On February 2, 2024, crowds gathered outside the New York Apple Store as the Vision Pro headset was released in Apple stores across the United States. Priced at $3,499, the Vision Pro marked a significant milestone for the tech giant, representing its first major product release in nine years since the introduction of the Apple Watch. The launch event drew attention from eager customers keen to experience Apple’s latest innovation in mixed reality technology.
Consumer interest
Nearly every new Apple device, from the iPhone to the Apple Watch, pledges to revolutionize how we live, work, and engage with the world through screens of various sizes. The Vision Pro has the potential to achieve this in an even more profound manner.
However, initially, the Vision Pro is likely to be a niche product primarily appealing to devoted Apple enthusiasts and developers, mainly due to its high price.
According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company sold an estimated 160,000 to 180,000 Vision Pro headsets during the first pre-order weekend last month. The fact that shipping times remained largely consistent after the initial 48 hours suggests that demand may taper off after the core fanbase has placed their orders, a pattern often observed with new iPhone models.
Morgan Stanley analysts anticipate that the company will ship up to 400,000 Vision Pro units throughout the year.
