On Monday, Apple announced that it will launch Vision Pro in the US on February 2. Customers can start pre-ordering the device on January 19. They should be willing to shell out at least $3,500 for the device, the price Apple announced at WWDC 2023.
Apple sought to make Vision Pro as light, compact and convenient as possible. Therefore, there is not enough space inside the headset for users to wear prescription glasses or reading devices. Apple’s solution is built-in corrective lenses. Unfortunately, this creates several drawbacks.
First, those who require vision assistance must provide Apple with their prescription and order a custom-made headset, which can increase shipping times. Apple did not specify an approximate time frame for individual orders.
The second caveat is additional costs. The Vision Pro is already the most expensive device of its kind on the market for $3,500. Those who need to add prescription lenses must pay an additional $149. If you need readers, Apple offers Zeiss optical inserts for $99. These prices are not too high for those who are already willing to pay $3500. However, this may seem unnecessary, given that other headsets can accommodate glasses.
Along with Vision Pro comes a new operating system called “visionOS”. Like iPadOS, visionOS was not designed from scratch but is an evolution of iOS. This way, Vision Pro will immediately have a library of millions of existing applications, including more than 250 Apple Arcade games.
Compatible programs will work in normal mode, albeit on a giant virtual screen. However, this does not mean that the Vision Pro will not have applications that exclusively use the technology of the headset.
One of the first mixed reality games for Vision Pro is likely to be a port of Resolution Games’ popular adventure game Demeo, which the studio announced last September. The game’s demo shows that it has virtual dice and an augmented reality playing field.
The company also revealed that some non-space games, such as Sonic Dream Team, will have controller support. Imagine playing NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition, which looks pretty good on the iPad, on a giant screen without having to mess with touch controls. The company did not name the compatible controllers. However, since Apple products are already generally compatible with PlayStation and Xbox controllers, we can reasonably expect the same functionality from visionOS.
You can check out Apple’s Vision Pro product page for a full list of features. You can also order the headset there when Apple starts accepting pre-orders on January 19.
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