Apple on Monday held its annual WWDC keynote, where the company unveiled its much-anticipated mixed-reality headset that it's calling the Vision Pro.
Apple calls this headset the "most advanced personal electronics device ever." It features high-end specs like an array of 12 cameras and a technology called "EyeSight," which Apple says will allow wearers to naturally see their surroundings even as they use the headset.
Vision Pro could prove tough competition for Meta's Oculus Quest line of headsets. Still, in typical Apple fashion, the company is coming in at the premium end of the market with a starting price of $3,499 at the Vision Pro's launch, which is scheduled for early next year. Meta's recently announced Quest 3 features similar mixed-reality functionality and will cost $499. Even the Quest Pro, which features more advanced body tracking than the Quest 3, starts at $999.
Regardless, the Vision Pro represents Apple's vision for the future of personal computers. The company unveiled a product jam-packed with features and clearly demonstrated how a headset computer could integrate into everyday life. From video calls to productivity, the Vision Pro might initially be for early adopters and developers at such a high price, but it's not far off from the complete picture of a major product like the iPhone before it.
Of course, until the product is tested we won't know whether it lives up to Apple's promises — or whether the average person will want to wear a headset for extended time periods. Questions remain regarding how big the market for goggles will be. But perhaps the Vision Pro with its signature Apple build quality and iOS integration is what the AR/VR industry needed all along to go mainstream. The jury is still out, for now.