Apple unveils it's new $3499 AR Headset

Kyleran

Surprised this wasn't already posted as news yesterday as it's everywhere else.

"$3,499 headset has variably transparent visor, interface driven by hands, eyes, voice, launches in US early next year

The Vision Pro headset looks similar to many VR headsets, with goggles covering the face, a strap around the back of the head, and multiple outward facing cameras on the headset. It also sports IR lights and sensors, and an external battery pack.

However, the exterior of the goggles can be made transparent, allowing users to see their environment with the system's interface and various windows able to be positioned around the user and seemingly anchored in the air around them."

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/apple-unveils-vision-pro-ar-headset

olepi

Not much information available it seems. Does it require an Apple machine to use it? Will it work on a PC? Apple products usually only work with other Apple products in their closed ecosphere, which I have never wanted to be part of.

Edit: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/apple-vr-and-mixed-reality-headset-release-date-price-specs-and-leaks

- comes out next year

- doesn't work if you wear glasses, you will have to buy eyepieces for extra

- has to be plugged in all the time, to an Apple machine

- does have a battery, costs extra and lasts for 2 hours, uses an Apple-only charger

Not for me.

Theocritus

I did see the news about this, but to me that is so overpriced I have zero interest in even considering it....In general I have little to do with Apple products...It just seems every item they make is 5-10x what it should really cost.

finefluff

The article is wrong. It does not actually become transparent to show your eyes. It shows your eyes virtually on a display, which makes it seem transparent.



I think it can be good for gaming. I like the idea of using it to have a huge 'screen' and not having to feel totally disconnected from my environment. I watched their presentation yesterday and they did seem to emphasize gaming, introducing 'game mode' for mac.

https://www.macrumors.com/2023/06/05/macos-14-game-mode/

Sovrath

Just saw this product this morning. Didn't realize it was so pricey.

Seems like really amazing technology but when they mentioned zoom calls I thought how ridiculous would it seem to be speaking to someone on zoom (or whatever) with this headset on.

I personally love Apple products but I'm also wary of spending a lot on something I won't be using a lot.

The neat thing is that this seems like just another step in getting these types of gadgets smaller and more usable.

Kyleran

olepi said:

Not much information available it seems. Does it require an Apple machine to use it? Will it work on a PC? Apple products usually only work with other Apple products in their closed ecosphere, which I have never wanted to be part of.

Edit: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/apple-vr-and-mixed-reality-headset-release-date-price-specs-and-leaks

- comes out next year

- doesn't work if you wear glasses, you will have to buy eyepieces for extra

- has to be plugged in all the time, to an Apple machine

- does have a battery, costs extra and lasts for 2 hours, uses an Apple-only charger

Not for me.

Can't be used with glasses makes me sad, have to understand what the eyepieces are all about.

Still, will need a use case for why I would buy one, productivity, better gaming (my kind of games, not sports or something)

I don't want to be battling phantom Pikachus.

finefluff

Sovrath said:

Just saw this product this morning. Didn't realize it was so pricey.

Seems like really amazing technology but when they mentioned zoom calls I thought how ridiculous would it seem to be speaking to someone on zoom (or whatever) with this headset on.

I personally love Apple products but I'm also wary of spending a lot on something I won't be using a lot.

The neat thing is that this seems like just another step in getting these types of gadgets smaller and more usable.

At least for Facetime, it will use a virtual persona based on your facial scan. They show that at 1:52:00. The technology is definitely cool but also too pricey to achieve mass adoption at this stage. But maybe that is a future goal with cheaper models.

Sovrath

finefluff said:

Sovrath said:

Just saw this product this morning. Didn't realize it was so pricey.

Seems like really amazing technology but when they mentioned zoom calls I thought how ridiculous would it seem to be speaking to someone on zoom (or whatever) with this headset on.

I personally love Apple products but I'm also wary of spending a lot on something I won't be using a lot.

The neat thing is that this seems like just another step in getting these types of gadgets smaller and more usable.

At least for Facetime, it will use a virtual persona based on your facial scan. They show that at 1:52:00. The technology is definitely cool but also too pricey to achieve mass adoption at this stage. But maybe that is a future goal with cheaper models.

I see! Well, I guess that adds to the cost. The future is NOW. But probably tomorrow.

Yup, a step toward the future.

ValdemarJ

Kyleran said:

olepi said:

Not much information available it seems. Does it require an Apple machine to use it? Will it work on a PC? Apple products usually only work with other Apple products in their closed ecosphere, which I have never wanted to be part of.

Edit: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/apple-vr-and-mixed-reality-headset-release-date-price-specs-and-leaks

- comes out next year

- doesn't work if you wear glasses, you will have to buy eyepieces for extra

- has to be plugged in all the time, to an Apple machine

- does have a battery, costs extra and lasts for 2 hours, uses an Apple-only charger

Not for me.

Can't be used with glasses makes me sad, have to understand what the eyepieces are all about.

Still, will need a use case for why I would buy one, productivity, better gaming (my kind of games, not sports or something)

I don't want to be battling phantom Pikachus.

The Quest 2 doesn't work with my glasses, even with the flimsy extension shim. Special corrective prescription lenses can be made to insert into the headset instead of the normal lens. They are a little expensive considering they only work in the Quest, but not much more expensive than just getting a normal set of glasses.

ValdemarJ

This is a neat device, but the other devices, like Studio are much cooler and more practical. The memory bandwidth on the new Studio offerings should make musicians giddy.

Tiller

We ready for Shark Week?

Iselin

An interesting mix of AR and VR. I like how they've focused on virtual screens and surround sound.

This is the kind of VR that interests me most. Not so much the stumbling around bumping into things while I game applications

DigDuggy

It's Apple, it's first gen, it's gonna be super pricey.  No surprise.  However, the Apple Cult will buy and many Apple products lead others into competition.  It's Apple, so gen 30 will still be super pricey.  Thankfully, I'm not in the cult, so I'll wait for the Walmart brand during a sale, lol.

Andemnon

Apple, twice the price for half the power, its a greedy company so i have doubts about this item, not that i would be silly enough to ever buy an apple product anyway 

Asm0deus

It's an apple,  and all that bring with it, AR headset not targeting gamers so who cares....

ValdemarJ

Asm0deus said:

It's an apple,  and all that bring with it, AR headset not targeting gamers so who cares....

https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/7/23752164/apple-mac-gaming-game-porting-toolkit-windows-games-macos

This is basically wine/proton/vxdk for Apple silicon. It could be huge. They own the entire stack so making a compat layer like Proton/WINE is totally within reality and with potential to be a lot better than what can be achieved on Linux.

We were talking about this in the office today and the general consensus is that the headset needs games because AR/VR is a non-starter without them.

Quizzical

ValdemarJ said:

Asm0deus said:

It's an apple,  and all that bring with it, AR headset not targeting gamers so who cares....

https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/7/23752164/apple-mac-gaming-game-porting-toolkit-windows-games-macos

This is basically wine/proton/vxdk for Apple silicon. It could be huge. They own the entire stack so making a compat layer like Proton/WINE is totally within reality and with potential to be a lot better than what can be achieved on Linux.

We were talking about this in the office today and the general consensus is that the headset needs games because AR/VR is a non-starter without them.

Apple has the complication that they don't just have to convert a graphics API and OS calls.  They also have to convert everything from x86 to ARM.  Recompiling is fine if you have the source code, but to make arbitrary games run, you usually won't.

Nanfoodle

Starts at $3500 USD... Starts =-D Even if I had that to spend, I would not. Apple is sttill selling a 10 year old round crash can PC on their site for 5k USD. How do I know what the headset is really worth? If Valve sold this headset, would is sell for $800 USD? I cant take Apples made up pricing!

Iselin

Nanfoodle said:

If Valve sold this headset, would is sell for $800 USD? I cant take Apples made up pricing!

That's the thing... Valve or someone else will. The high-density OLED pixel array that allegedly simulates a large 4K screen + surround sound, if it works as advertised, is enough to make me salivate if it could be used with brand-agnostic video and audio outputs and it wasn't Apple-priced.

I'm not into the whole "designer electronics" thing which is what Apple has always been all about and why they jack up prices of all they sell but IMO, they have something really interesting here in just the virtual screen and sound alone.

Nanfoodle

Iselin said:

Nanfoodle said:

If Valve sold this headset, would is sell for $800 USD? I cant take Apples made up pricing!

That's the thing... Valve or someone else will. The high-density OLED pixel array that allegedly simulates a large 4K screen + surround sound, if it works as advertised, is enough to make me salivate if it could be used with brand-agnostic video and audio outputs and it wasn't Apple-priced.

I'm not into the whole "designer electronics" thing which is what Apple has always been all about and why they jack up prices of all they sell but IMO, they have something really interesting here in just the virtual screen and sound alone.

You know, there is a point the quality gained vs the price you pay, the quality level does not increase enough to justify. The difference between a $30 bottle of wine vs a $50 would be lost on most. Getting to that $100 - $500 bottle of win, now you are bragging about hits of tabaco. I can afford the $300 bottle of wine but I like my wine to taste like Wine. 

This headset looks awesome but the value jump from the PS5 VR head set to  Applies costing almost $2800 more. I dont see $2800 value jump adding enough to justify it. Especially when in the next year, I am sure someone, maybe Valve will drop similar tech at a much lower cost but I am sure Apple, being Apple, will keep on with this outrageous price. 

olepi

ValdemarJ said:

Kyleran said:

olepi said:

Not much information available it seems. Does it require an Apple machine to use it? Will it work on a PC? Apple products usually only work with other Apple products in their closed ecosphere, which I have never wanted to be part of.

Edit: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/apple-vr-and-mixed-reality-headset-release-date-price-specs-and-leaks

- comes out next year

- doesn't work if you wear glasses, you will have to buy eyepieces for extra

- has to be plugged in all the time, to an Apple machine

- does have a battery, costs extra and lasts for 2 hours, uses an Apple-only charger

Not for me.

Can't be used with glasses makes me sad, have to understand what the eyepieces are all about.

Still, will need a use case for why I would buy one, productivity, better gaming (my kind of games, not sports or something)

I don't want to be battling phantom Pikachus.

The Quest 2 doesn't work with my glasses, even with the flimsy extension shim. Special corrective prescription lenses can be made to insert into the headset instead of the normal lens. They are a little expensive considering they only work in the Quest, but not much more expensive than just getting a normal set of glasses.

I'm nearsighted and don't need glasses to read or play computer games. I can actually regulate how sharp the graphics are by how far away I am when viewing the screen

I wonder if the extra lenses are required in that case?

maskedweasel

I think Apple is overstating their place as a premium brand here. This is pricey even by their standards. Granted my phone itself costs not much less than this, it's also an android phone. 

But very few people have my same model, because it prices out most consumers, even when you take into consideration that you can buy them through your cell phone plan. 

Thinking about this headset... something first gen, that requires the entire ecosystem of Apple products, they are not launching this as a novel technology to bring people into the Apple ecosystem they are launching it for die hard fans of the company. 

Still there's a lot of QOL tools that they offer, but we all know that anything they release will be phased out by more innovative, less expensive and customizable products pretty quickly. 

A lot of what they're doing is banking off of what Hololens has done already, but that too wasn't a consumer set. I don't know if Holoens 3 will be, but it will be interesting to see how the competition heats up in this area in the future. 

Dibdabs

I'm happy sticking to my current VR headset.  Nothing about this Apple product really interests me.

Theocritus

Heres the thing about expensive stuff.....They only need to sell one of these for every 7 or so of the Oculus.....This is one of the reasons why Apple is always outrageous in their prices, and many people have always paid it.

Quizzical

But is there a $999 stand for it that is sold separately?

Nanfoodle

Quizzical said:

But is there a $999 stand for it that is sold separately?

Dont forget the 24k Gold model. When looking down may cause whiplash but will be fun rubbing it everyone's faces you paid more then they did because they suck and you rule tech.