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Apple has announced that the Apple Vision Pro will launch on February 2 in the US, with pre-orders opening on Friday, January 19.
Apple has announced that Apple Vision Pro will be available frtom February 2 at all US Apple Store locations and the US Apple Store online.
“The era of spatial computing has arrived,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced consumer electronics device ever created. Its revolutionary and magical user interface will redefine how we connect, create, and explore.”
We've heard all that before from lots of people in the virtual space, but the interest that Apple's entrance to the market is generating is impressive. The launch PR also fills in some interesting details about the software and other items that will be available for the device.
It ships with the following:
- Solo Knit Band and Dual Loop Band
- A light seal and two light seal cushions
- Apple Vision Pro cover
- Polishing cloth
- Battery
- USB-C charging cable and USB-C power adapter
Key productivity and collaboration apps, presumably reengineered for the visionOS, include Fantastical, Freeform, JigSpace, apps from Microsoft 365, and Slack. Apps can appear side by side at any scale for incredible multitasking, and with support for Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, users can create virtual workspaces.
Within the Apple TV app, users can access more than 150 3D titles. Vision Pro also introduces Apple Immersive Video, a new entertainment format pioneered by Apple that puts users inside the action with 180-degree, three-dimensional 8K recordings captured with Spatial Audio. Users can also enjoy new interactive experiences like Encounter Dinosaurs. Think of it like your own personal Sphere...
Players can access games on the App Store, including more than 250 titles on Apple Arcade. Already released games such as NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition and Sonic Dream Team can be played on a screen as large as they want with impressive audio and support for popular game controllers. New spatial games for the device, including Game Room, What the Golf?, and Super Fruit Ninja, take advantage of the capabilities of Apple Vision Pro to transform the space around players, offering unique gameplay experiences.
If a user is wearing Vision Pro while on FaceTime, they appear as their Persona, while others joining from a Mac, iPad, or iPhone will appear in a tile. As a what? Persona is an authentic spatial representation of an Apple Vision Pro user that enables others on a call to see their facial expressions and hand movements in real time. Using machine learning techniques, Apple says that a Persona can be created in 'minutes' using Vision Pro. Personas also work in third-party videoconferencing apps, including Zoom, Cisco Webex, and Microsoft Teams.
Given that corporate is going to be one of the initial key markets for the device, that is probably a good thing.
One final missing piece of information has also been added, the cost of lenses for glasses-wearers. ZEISS Optical Inserts — Readers will be available for $99, while ZEISS Optical Inserts — Prescription will be available for $149.
Tags: Technology
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