Apple’s new mixed reality headset Vision Pro was released on February 2. Vision Pro, the company’s first new product category in nearly a decade, ushers in a new era of computing for Apple. But the high price tag, combined with the fact that the AR/VR space is still an unproven market, means Apple has an uphill battle out of the gate.
Here are three things you need to know about Vision Pro.
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Price tag.
The Vision Pro starts at $3,499, much more expensive than the $999 for rival Meta’s most expensive headset: the Meta Quest Pro. That price tag will likely be too high for even Apple’s most ardent fans, especially given the AR/VR industry’s relatively niche position in the consumer tech space.
Apple promotes the Vision Pro as a “spatial computer” rather than a simple headset. You’ll use it for watching movies, gaming, and more importantly, productivity apps because it can mirror your MacBook’s screen and display it as a giant window floating in space directly in front of you. Whether this is worth the price of entry is up to Apple’s customer base.
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Experience
I used Apple’s Vision Pro headset just after the company launched it at WWDC in June 2023, and again just before its launch, and everything you’ve heard about it being a mind-blowing experience is spot on. The incredibly high-resolution microOLED display is much sharper than any other headset I’ve ever used, making images and videos look vibrant and colorful, and letting you read text with ease. Thanks to eye and hand tracking cameras, the interface is extremely easy to navigate and the fit is surprisingly comfortable. Although there is a separate wired battery that you have to put on your desk or put in your pocket.
But Apple also needs to make sure it has the appropriate app ecosystem. So far, the company says it has a large app library, including versions of iPad apps. But the tech giant will also need developers to imagine uniquely designed apps for the Vision Pro if Apple is going to get people past the honeymoon phase.
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What does this mean for Apple?
Vision Pro is Apple’s first new product category since the Apple Watch was first introduced in 2014. While the watch is being released at a time when smartwatches and fitness trackers are already gaining popularity among consumers, the Vision Pro comes at a time when headphones are still popular. incredibly few consumer technologies have increased their sales.
Apple is also opposing Meta’s Quest product line, which Counterpoint Research says will account for 49% of the AR/VR headset market in the third quarter of 2023.
If Apple can get consumers to look beyond the Vision Pro price and convince its army of developers to develop fascinating new apps for the headset, it could be the company’s next big hit.
Stay tuned to Yahoo Finance to see if Apple can pull this off.
video transcript
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– Apple’s new mixed reality headset Vision Pro was released on February 2. Vision Pro, the company’s first new product category in nearly a decade, ushers in a new era of computing for Apple. But the high price tag combined with the fact that the AR/VR space is still an unproven market means Apple has an uphill battle out of the gate. Here are three things you need to know about Vision Pro.
First, the price tag. Vision Pro starts at $3,499. That’s significantly more expensive than rival Meta’s most expensive headset, the Meta Quest Pro, which retails for $999. That price would likely be too high for even Apple’s most ardent fans, especially given the AR and VR industry’s relatively niche position in the consumer tech space.
Apple promotes the Vision Pro as a spatial computer rather than a simple headset. You’ll use it for watching movies, gaming, and more importantly, productivity apps because it can mirror your MacBook’s screen and display it as a giant window floating in space directly in front of you. Whether this is worth the price of entry is up to Apple’s customer base.
Second, experience. I used Apple’s Vision Pro headset right after the company introduced it at WWDC in June 2023 and just before its launch. And everything you’ve heard about it being a mind-blowing experience is spot on. The incredibly high-resolution micro OLED display is much sharper than any other headset I’ve ever used; It makes images and videos look vibrant and colorful and lets you read text easily.
Navigating the interface is extremely easy thanks to eye and hand tracking cameras. And the fit is surprisingly comfortable. Although there is a separate wired battery that you have to put on your desk or put in your pocket. Of course, Apple also needs to make sure it has the appropriate app ecosystem. So far, the company says it has a large app library, including versions of iPad apps. But if Apple is going to get people past the honeymoon phase, the tech giant will also need developers to design uniquely tailored apps for the Vision Pro.
Third, what does this mean for Apple? Vision Pro is Apple’s first new product category since the Apple Watch was first introduced in 2014. While the watch is being released at a time when smartwatches and fitness trackers are already gaining popularity among consumers, the Vision Pro comes at a time when headphones are still popular. incredibly few consumer technologies have increased their sales. Apple is also pushing back against Meta’s research product line, which Counterpoint Research says accounts for 49% of the AR/VR headset market in the third quarter of 2023.
If Apple can get consumers to look beyond the Vision Pro price and convince its army of developers to develop fascinating new apps for the headset, it could be the company’s next big hit. Stay tuned to Yahoo Finance to see if Apple can pull this off.