As expected, on the first day of Apple's annual developer conference, WWDC 2023, the very first mixed reality headset -virtual reality (VR) + augmented (AR)- Apple Vision Pro was unveiled, in the last part a conference rich in hardware announcements with new Mac Air, Mac Studio and Mac Pro computers, and software with macOS Sonoma, iOS17, iPadOS17, tvOS17, WhatOS10, SharePlay Apple Music without forgetting Adaptive Audio for AirPods headphones.
Apple mixed reality headset, Ultra HD 4K definition
The rumors about the Apple Vision Pro headset were true, it's heavy. Each of the two micro Oled Wide Color screens therefore has an Ultra HD 4K definition for a total of 23 million pixels, measures 1.41 '' (3.6 cm) diagonally and is HDR compatible (without further details) . In terms of peak brightness, Apple has not given any details, so we remain hard-pressed by the rumors announcing that the American company is aiming for a peak brightness of 5,000 nits, and a density of 4,000 dots per inch. Zeiss signed lenses are placed in the helmet in front of the screens. These project an image of the Vision Pro user's eyes so that other people can interact with them as if they were wearing ski goggles. Moreover, the Vision Pro has, like ski goggles, a transparent front made of a single piece of polished glass.
The sound section has two speakers placed not far from the ears and Spatial Audio Apple processing (3D sound based on Dolby Atmos technology) is required. Interestingly, the Ray Tracing audio technology performs a fine calibration of the sound according to the acoustic properties of your room to adapt the audio rendering to the space.
The Apple Vision Pro headset runs on a battery designed to slip easily into a trouser pocket, with which it is connected in wired mode, for an announced autonomy of two hours.
Apple mixed reality headset, Disney+ and hundreds of compatible iOS apps
Bob Iger, the boss of Disney made a remarkable appearance during the presentation of the Apple Vision Pro headphones, to announce the availability from its first day of marketing of the Disney+ service.
More surprises to come later… With the ability to create a basic 30m screen and the Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar catalogs… anything is possible, and damn exciting.
For its part, Apple announces that several hundred iOS/iPadOS applications will be compatible on the first day of the availability of the Vision Pro, the control of which will be provided via voice command or gestures. It should also be noted that the choice of an application or a menu can be made just by looking at it. By laying eyes on it, the graphic element, the menu becomes instantly interactive and clickable. Impressive !
Similarly Apple Arcade Game will be available, ditto for the possibility of combining a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard or perfect synchronization with your Mac computer, iPad and iPhone. Messages and notifications will therefore be accessible from the Vision Pro, live. Same for videos and photos, etc.
Apple Mixed Reality Headset, Apple Silicon Dual CPU
The Apple Vision Pro headset is powered by two Apple Silicon processors, the now known M2 and the new R1 (more specifically dedicated to the management of motion sickness also known as motion sickness with an almost simultaneous display of sensor instructions, less than 12 ms). The colossal power available is used, for example, to display the best possible image wherever the eyes of the Vision Pro user land, in real time, through the multitude of sensors present inside the helmet, but also outside. outside for example to detect a person approaching.
Because if the Apple Vision Pro headset allows deep immersion within the applications and animations offered, even going as far as virtual reality by visually hiding the user's environment (more or less via the wheel present on the top of the helmet), if a person approaches, they will appear more and more distinct as coming out of the fog as they get closer to him. More generally, the embedded chips are at the service of the new visionOS operating system.
Apple Mixed Reality Headset, Optic ID
Among the key features unveiled by Apple this evening, we can also cite Optic ID, the VisionPro's FaceID system based on the iris of the user's eye, to pay with Apple Pay or identify yourself on a service requiring a password. We can also mention the creation of a digital avatar using the cameras on the front of the helmet. After a scan of the user's head, it is digitally duplicated via a neural network in order to be visible to interlocutors, during a Face Time call for example. Namely, Apple announces that the technologies of the Vision Pro helmet gather more than 5,000 patents…
Availability announced for early 2024. Indicative price: $3,499.