We knew that getting our hands on the Apple Vision Pro would be a challenge – unless you happen to have a spare $ 3,499 (around £2,800 / AU$ 5,300) lying around that is. But even if you're able to afford the super-expensive VR headset you might still be out of luck, as new reports suggest Apple will produce limited numbers this year.
That’s according to a report from Bloomberg, which cites a paywalled Financial Times article claiming that Apple is having to rethink its sales targets for the Vision Pro, as it likely won’t be able to make as many as originally planned.
Apple had apparently hoped to sell one million headsets in 2024, but sources from Apple and Luxshare, which is currently the sole manufacturer of the headset, say they'll struggle to produce 400,000, while suppliers of key Vision Pro components have suggested that Apple may only be able to make around 150,000 with the parts it's requested.
It's worth nothing that these latest reports are based on uncorroborated leaks, and while Apple may be struggling to hit its targets now, that situation could change, and Apple and Luxshare might be able to speed up production. What’s more, if the Apple Vision Pro doesn't prove hugely popular with consumers, 100,000 units could be all Apple needs to meet demand; low production numbers would only become a problem if the headset sells like hotcakes.
What could be causing Apple’s production problems?
Apple’s VR headset may struggle take the VR crown from Meta (Image credit: Apple)
So how is Meta able to produce millions of VR headsets a year while Apple is reportedly struggling to make a fraction of that? We don’t know for certain, but there are a couple of possible and reported reasons for the Vision Pro’s rumored production problems.
For one, Meta has been in the VR game for a while now, and as a result it has well-established production pipelines, and it also has a better grasp of how popular its gadgets will be thanks to sales data that goes back to 2016, when the original Oculus Rift launched. Apple is flying blind to some extent – this is its first foray into XR tech (a catchall term for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality), and it doesn’t yet know how things will pan out. By limiting production there’s a much lower risk that it’ll wind up with warehouses full of a gadget no one wants to buy.
Also, Apple’s Vision Pro isn’t like other VR headsets – and this isn’t simply because of the ethereal ‘Apple difference’ that makes its tech so attractive fans. The Vision Pro has features we haven’t really seen before in VR headsets – especially not all packaged together. It has dual micro-OLED displays that boast a higher resolution than the current best VR headsets, an outer display that can show off the headset wearer’s eyes via its EyeSight tech, a 3D camera for mapping a person’s face or an object, and a bevy of other sensors to facilitate next-generation hand-tracking, to name just a few.
Cramming all this into the headset is a challenge, according to insiders familiar with the situation, causing the Vision Pro to have low production yields – read: it’s slow to produce, and a number of Apple’s headsets may have defects that mean they can’t be sold.
As we've mentioned, we won’t know how easy it will be for would-be buyers to get our hands on the Apple Vision Pro until it launches sometime in 2024. When it does go on sale, you’ll want to make sure you’ve read our Apple Vision Pro hands-on review, and checked out the competition (like the Meta Quest Pro) to know if you want one or not – as you may need to move quickly if you want to order one before stock runs out.
If you're wondering what Apple's official Vision Pro controllers are going to look like, just imagine something that isn't there. That's because Apple is reportedly determined to make its AR/VR headset a controller-free zone.
The report comes via Apple watcher Mark Gurman, who wrote in a Bloomberg newsletter that Apple had experimented with a finger-based controller device. It also confirms that the company reportedly tried third-party VR controllers including models from HTC, but the decision has been made. For Apple, controlling the Vision Pro means hand and eye scanning and Siri voice controls, not the kind of hand controllers you get with headsets such as the HTC Vive Pro 2.
Apple had also reportedly experimented with a physical Bluetooth or Mac keyboard, but has decided instead to go with an in-air keyboard for those moments when you really have to type something, such as a password you haven't already stored in your iCloud Keychain.
Does Vision Pro support third-party controllers?
Yes and no. According to Gurman, while Apple won't make a physical controller for what's expected to be the best VR headset, it will support PS5 and Xbox controllers for gaming.
However, Apple has no plans to make its own Vision Pro game controller, and it has no plans to support third-party VR accessories. Whether that'll change with time and Apple will find a VR equivalent of the Made for iPhone certification scheme, something that's been a nice little earner for Apple over the years, is unknown.
I don't think the lack of third-party support or a hardware handheld controller is going to be a big deal, especially based on all the early verdicts so far. When we tried the Vision Pro, we found gesture and vision tracking to work very well after a brief setup routine: “if I looked at an app like Photos, I could then pinch together my thumb and index finger to open it. To scroll in a window, I would pinch, hold and drag my hand left or right or up or down.”
Once you get used to it, it's very simple and straightforward. And there's still many months left for Apple to refine it further, and many more before the average consumer is using an Apple headset.
Apple’s Vision Pro headset is making it into the hands of more testers following its announcement, but according to reports early reactions are underwhelming, with some users reporting that it's not comfortable to wear for long periods.
The eagerly anticipated VR device offers several innovative and performance improvements over the current best VR headsets, including unique hand-tracking controls and Apple's powerful M2 processor. Unfortunately, it looks like it could have the same flaw that's affected several models before it.
In our hands-on Apple’s Vision Pro review, our US Editor-in-Chief Lance Ulanoff described the headset as feeling “snug and comfortable” after he'd made the necessary adjustments, although he was only able to try the Vision Pro for a short time.
But in a report that also provided leaked details of 18 Apple products that are set to launch in the coming years, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman highlighted early testers' critiques of the Vision Pro VR headset, chiefly that it feels too heavy after they've worn it for a couple of hours.
Some of the testers, who at this stage are said to mostly be senior Apple engineers and executives, have also reported experiencing motion sickness, although to a lesser degree than when wearing other headsets.
We've experienced comfort issues with the Meta Quest Pro (we tried wearing it every day for a week for work and it wasn't fun), and we hoped the Vision Pro could overcome this shortcoming, in part due to the external battery back reducing the weight of the headset itself. However, it appears that the external battery could be causing problems in the comfort department rather than solving things.
Most VR headsets tend to be front-heavy, as all the components are housed in a box at the front that sits over your eyes. More recent designs like the Meta Quest Pro offer better weight distribution by moving the internal battery to the back of the headset’s strap, and while this solution isn’t perfect the Quest Pro does generally feel more comfortable to wear than the front-heavy Oculus Quest 2.
While we think the Apple headset’s external battery could overall be a smart choice, it’s not able to serve as a counterweight like the internal battery used by the Vision Pro’s rivals. Apple could have tried moving other components to the strap to serve the same purpose, but for this first iteration that’s not the case.
Another problem is the apparently lack of an overhead strap, which serves as another weight-balancing tool. A few brief shots in Apple’s Vision Pro introduction video show someone using the Vision Pro with such a strap, but Apple hasn’t gone into much detail about it – and according to Gurman, Apple might sell you the strap as an add-on accessory rather than include one in the box.
Considering that the headset already costs $ 3,500 (about £2,750 / AU$ 3,240 – Apple hasn't yet revealed pricing outside the US), and that this strap appears to basically be a fairly thin elastic band that would alleviate a potential issue with the gadget, we hope Apple wouldn’t try to sting its customers for the extra. It wouldn’t be the first time, however – let’s just hope this strap isn’t as ridiculously priced as the $ 700 / £700 / AU$ 1,049 Mac Pro wheels.
We’ll have to wait and see how Apple chooses to address potential comfort issues with the Vision Pro, but it might be a problem that won’t get fixed for a generation or two, perhaps in the two follow-up Apple headsets that are reportedly on the way.
The Apple Vision Pro is one of the biggest tech announcements of recent years – and with the dust is still settling on the tech giant's first AR/VR headset, many questions remain. What's the Vision Pro's actual release date? What do we know about its specs? And how will you use it if you wear glasses?
Apple Vision Pro specs
– Mixed reality headset
– Dual M2 and R1 chip setup
– 4K resolution per eye
– No controllers, uses hand tracking and voice inputs
– External battery pack
– Two-hour battery life
– Starts at $ 3,499 (around £2,800 / AU$ 5,300)
– Runs on visionOS
We've rounded up the answers to those questions and more in this guide to everything we know (so far) about the Apple Vision Pro. You can also read our hands-on Apple Vision Pro review for a more experiential sense of what it's like to wear the headset.
Now that visionOS, which is the headset's operating system, is in the hands of developers, a bigger picture is forming of exactly how this “spatial computer” (as Apple calls its) will work and fit into our lives.
Still, actually using the Vision Pro as a next-gen Mac, TV, FaceTime companion and more is a long way off. It'll cost $ 3,499 (around £2,800 / AU$ 5,300) when it arrives “early next year”, and that'll only be in the US initially.
Clearly, the Vision Pro is a first-generation, long-term platform that is going to take a long time to reach fruition. But the journey there is definitely going to be fun as more of its mysteries are uncovered – so here's everything we know about Apple's AR/VR headset so far.
June 7, 2023: all of the early verdicts on the Apple Vision Pro are in from those lucky enough to try it out at Apple Park (including TechRadar). Our Vision Pro review roundup gives you an early temperature check of everyone’s early thoughts.
Apple Vision Pro: what you need to know
Vision Pro release date: Sometime “early next year” according to Apple.
Vision Pro headset price: Starts at $ 3,499 (around £2,800 / AU$ 5,300).
Vision Pro headsetspecs: Apple's headset uses two chipsets, an M2 and a new R1 to handle regular software and its XR capabilities respectively. It also has dual 4K displays.
Vision Pro headset design: The Vision Pro has a similar design to other VR headsets, with a front panel that covers your eyes, and an elastic strap. One change from the norm is that it has an outer display to show the wearer's eyes.
Vision Pro headsetbattery life: It lasts for up to two hours on a full charge using the official external battery pack.
Vision Pro headset controllers: There are no controllers – instead you'll use your eyes, hands, and voice to control its visionOS software.
Apple Vision Pro: price and release date
Apple says the Vision Pro will “start” at $ 3,499 (that's around £2,800 / AU$ 5,300). That wording suggests that more expensive options will be available, but right now we don't know what those higher-priced headsets might offer over the standard model.
As for release date for the Vision Pro, Apple has only given a vague “early next year.” That's later than we'd been expecting, with leaks suggesting it would launch in the next few months – perhaps around the same time as the iPhone 15 – but that isn't the case. As 2024 gets closer we expect Apple will give us an update on when we'll be able to strap a Vision Pro onto our heads.
Interestingly, Apple's website only mentions a US release. Apple has yet to confirm if the Vision Pro will launch in regions outside of the US, and when that'll happen.
Apple Vision Pro: design
The Apple Vision shares a lot of similarities with the current crop of best VR headsets. It has a large face panel that covers your eyes, and is secured to your head with a strap made from elasticated fabric, plastic and padding.
But rather than the similarities, let's focus on the Vision Pro's unique design features.
The biggest difference VR veterans will notice is that the Vision Pro doesn't have a battery; instead, it relies on an external battery pack. This is a sort of evolution of the HTC Vive XR Elite's design, which allowed the headset to go from being a headset with a battery in its strap to a battery-less pair of glasses that relies on external power.
(Image credit: Apple)
This battery pack will provide roughly two hours of use on a full charge according to Apple, and is small enough to fit in the wearer's pocket. It'll connect to the headset via a cable, which is a tad unseemly by Apple’s usual design standards, but what this choice lacks in style it should make up for in comfort.
If you buy a Vision Pro you'll find that your box lacks something needed for other VR headsets: controllers. That's because the Vision Pro relies solely on tracking your hand and eye movements, as well as voice inputs, to control its apps and experiences. It'll pick up these inputs using its array of 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones.
The last design detail of note is the Vision Pro's Eyesight display. It looks pretty odd, maybe even a bit creepy, but we're reserving judgment until we've had a chance to try it out.
Eyesight in action (Image credit: Apple)
When a Vision Pro wearer is using AR features and can see the real world, nearby people will see their eyes 'through' the headset's front panel (it's actually a screen showing a camera view of the eyes, but based on Apple's images you might be convinced it's a simple plane of glass). If they're fully immersed in an experience, onlookers will instead see a cloud of color to signify that they're exploring another world.
Apple Vision Pro: specs and features
As the rumors had suggested, the Apple Vision Pro headset will come with some impressive specs to justify its sky-high price.
First, the Vision Pro will use two chipsets to power its experiences. One is an M2 chip, the same one you'll find in the Apple iPad Pro (2022), and some of the best MacBooks and Macs.
This powerful processor will handle the apps and software you're running on the Vision Pro. Meanwhile, the R1 chipset will deal with the mixed reality side of things, processing the immersive elements of the Vision Pro that turn it from a glorified wearable Mac display to an immersive “spatial computer”.
(Image credit: Apple)
On top of these chips, the Vision Pro has crisp 4K micro-OLED displays – one per eye – that offer roughly 23 million pixels each. According to Apple the Vision Pro's display fits 64 pixels into the same space that the iPhone's screen fits one single pixel, and this could eliminate the annoying screen-door effect that affects other VR headsets.
This effect occurs when you're up close to a screen and you can start to see the gaps between the pixels in the array; the higher the pixel density, the closer you can get before the screen door effect becomes noticeable.
These components will allow you to run an array of Apple software through Apple's new visionOS platform (not xrOS as was rumored). This includes immersive photos and videos, custom-made Disney Plus experiences, and productivity apps like Keynote.
You'll also be able to play over 100 Apple Arcade titles on a virtual screen that's like your own private movie theatre.
(Image credit: Apple)
You'll be able to connect your Vision Pro headset to a Mac via Bluetooth. When using this feature you'll be able to access your Mac apps and see your screen on a large immersive display, and it'll sit alongside other Vision Pro apps you're using. Apple says this setup will help you be more productive than you've ever been.
With the power of the M2 chip, Apple's headset should be able to run most Mac apps natively – Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro recently arrived on M2 iPads. For now, however, Apple hasn't revealed if these and other apps will be available natively on the Vision Pro, or if you'll need a Mac to unlock the headset's full potential. We expect these details will be revealed nearer to the headset's 2024 launch.
Apple Vision Pro: your questions answered
We've answered all of the basic questions about the Apple Vision Pro's release date, price, specs and more above, but you may understandably still have some more specific or broader ones.
To help, we've taken all of the most popular Vision Pro questions from Google and social media and answered them in a nutshell below.
(Image credit: Apple)
What is the point of Apple Vision Pro?
Apple says that the point of the Vision Pro is to introduce a “new era of spatial computing”. It’s a standalone, wearable computer that aims to deliver new experiences for watching TV, working, reliving digital memories, and remotely collaborating with people in apps like FaceTime.
But it’s still early days. And there arguably isn’t yet a single ‘point’ to the Vision Pro. At launch, it’ll be able to do things like give you a huge, portable monitor for your Apple laptop, or create a home cinematic experience in apps like Disney Plus. However, like the first Apple Watch, it’ll be up to developers and users to define the big new use cases for the Vision Pro.
(Image credit: Apple)
How much does an Apple Vision Pro cost?
The Apple Vision Pro will cost $ 3,499 when it goes on sale in the US “early next year”. It won’t be available in other countries until “later next year”, but that price converts to around £2,815 / AU$ 5,290.
This makes the Vision Pro a lot more expensive than rival headsets. The Meta Quest Pro was recently given a price drop to $ 999 / £999 / AU$ 1,729. Cheaper and less capable VR-only headsets, like the incoming Meta Quest 3, are also available for $ 499 / £499 / AU$ 829. But there is also no direct comparison to the kind of technology offered by the Vision Pro.
(Image credit: Apple)
Does Apple Vision Pro work with glasses?
The Apple Vision Pro does work for those who wear glasses, although there are some things to be aware of. If you wear glasses you won’t wear them with the headset. Instead, you’ll need to buy some separate optical inserts that attach magnetically to the Vision Pro’s lenses. Apple hasn’t yet announced the pricing for these, currently only stating that “vision correction accessories are sold separately”.
Apple says it’ll offer a range of vision correction strengths that won’t compromise the display quality or the headset’s eye-tracking performance. But it also warns that “not all prescriptions are supported” and that a “valid prescription is required”. So while the Vision Pro does work well for glasses wearers, there are some potential downsides.
(Image credit: Apple)
Is Apple Vision Pro a standalone device?
The Apple Vision Pro is a standalone device with its own visionOS operating system and doesn’t need an iPhone or MacBook to run. This is why Apple calls the headset a “spatial computer”.
That said, having an iPhone or MacBook alongside a Vision Pro will bring some benefits. For example, to create a personalized spatial audio profile for the headset’s audio pods, you’ll need an iPhone with a TrueDepth camera.
The Vision Pro will also give MacBook owners a large virtual display that hovers above their real screen, an experience that won’t be available on other laptops. So while you don’t need any other Apple devices to use the Vision Pro, owning other Apple-made tech will help maximize the experience.
(Image credit: Apple)
Is Apple Vision Pro VR or AR?
The Apple Vision Pro offers both VR and AR experiences, even if Apple doesn’t use those terms to describe them. Instead, Apple says it creates “spatial experiences” that “blend the digital and physical worlds”. You can control how much you see of both using its Digital Crown on the side.
Turning the Digital Crown lets you control how immersed you are in a particular app. This reveals the real world behind an app’s digital overlays, or extends what Apple calls ‘environments’. These spread across and beyond your physical room, for example giving you a view over a virtual lake.
While some of the examples shown by Apple look like traditional VR, the majority err towards augmented reality, combining your real-world environment (captured by the Vision Pro’s full-color passthrough system) with its digital overlays.
(Image credit: Apple)
Is Apple Vision Pro see through?
The front of the Apple Vision Pro isn’t see-through or fully transparent, even though a feature called EyeSight creates that impression. The front of the headset is made from laminated glass, but behind that lens is an outward-facing OLED screen.
It’s this screen that will show a real-time view of your eyes (captured by the cameras inside the headset) to the outside world if you’re in augmented reality mode. If you’re enjoying a fully immersive, VR-like experience like watching a movie, this screen will instead show a Siri-like graphic.
To help you look out through the headset, the Apple Vision Pro has a passthrough system that uses cameras on the outside of the goggles to give you a real-time, color feed of your environment. So while the headset feels like it’s see-through, your view of the real world is digital.
(Image credit: Apple)
How does Vision Pro work?
The Apple Vision Pro uses a combination of cameras, sensors, and microphones to create a controller-free computing experience that you control using your hands, eyes, and voice.
The headset’s forward-facing cameras capture the real world in front of you, so this can be displayed on its two internal lenses (Apple says these give you “more pixels than a 4K TV for each eye”). The Vision Pro’s side and downward-facing cameras also track your hand movements, so you can control it with your hands – for example, touching your thumb and forefinger together to click.
But the really unique thing about the Vision Pro is its eye-tracking, which is powered by a group of infrared cameras and LED illuminators on the inside of the headset. This mean you can simply look at app icons or even smaller details to highlight them, then use your fingers or voice to type.
Apple's Vision Pro headset hasn't even gone on sale yet, and it might not do for another year yet. But that was never going to stop Apple from working on what will follow it and now a recent report suggests that isn't just one, but two new headsets.
Unfortunately for Vision Pro hopefuls, that same report also suggests that Apple will hold back some visionOS features for when those successors are shared with the public – and worst of all, they're features that were originally penciled in for the Vision Pro's launch instead.
However, Apple appears to have chosen to delay those software features until the next found of hardware is ready, and that, among other things, could be enough to give potential buyers a reason to consider hanging fire – not that we imagine people are lining up to buy this insanely expensive device, even if it does turn out to be the best VR headset ever made.
Two is better than one
Writing in his weekly Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple has not one, but two new versions of the Vision Pro headset in development already – one of which will be a lot cheaper. Apple only announced the Vision Pro at WWDC on June 5, but it's already moved some employees from that project and onto teams that are working on what comes next in Apple's AR/VR lineup.
We noted the two new Vision Pro models previously, but the latest report from Gurman suggests that new software features will debut with those updated models, rather than the first headset – even though that one isn't even releasing until 2024.
Gurman says that Apple is working on “The ability to show multiple Mac desktop screens when connected wirelessly to a Vision Pro,” whereas the first Vision Pro will only connect to a single desktop at launch. There's also the suggestion that Apple Fitness Plus will be integrated somehow, allowing headsets wearers to work out while in an AR/VR world.
Finally, Gurman says that Apple also wants to offer “the ability for multiple Vision Pro users in a several-person FaceTime conference to use Personas.” The Vision Pro due to go on sale in the first half of 2024 will only allow one-on-one calls with Apple's haunting 3D avatars.
It's still too early to know when Apple will announce these new headsets of course, nor do we know how much that cheaper model will cost. We can hopefully expect to learn more as the leaks roll out in the coming months.
It's a bit disappointing that Apple will apparently be holding back some features – it's particularly odd to be hearing about it now, when the first iteration of the headset is still more than six months away from release. We'd imagine there probably is enough time for Apple to implement those features, in fact, which makes the whole thing all the more disheartening.
In other words, we're probably going to hold off on dropping $ 3,499 on the Vision Pro next year – at least, unless Apple confirms these features will be backward-compatible when they finally do arrive.
The first beta for the Apple Vision Pro headset’s operating system – visionOS – has launched and we’re finding out a bunch of interesting details about the Apple VR headset, including that Apple wants it to be the ultimate travel companion.
Apple’s Vision Pro isn’t expected to launch until next year, but that hasn’t stopped Apple from releasing the OS early so app creators can start bringing their software to the system. This way, by the time the headset is publicly available it should have a solid library of content that’ll help justify its exceptionally high price of $ 3,499 (around £2,800 / AU$ 5,300). But the beta isn’t just giving us an idea of what third-party developers are working on for the Apple headset, it’s giving us a clear picture of the direction Apple wants to take the Vision Pro.
Previously (in our round-up of six Vision Pro details the visionOS beta has revealed) it was discovered that Apple isn’t keen for people to use its headset for VR fitness – with its guidance for app makers being they should “avoid encouraging people to move too much.” Now we’ve learned that the Vision Pro will have a dedicated Travel Mode designed for using the headset on an airplane (discovered by MacRumors).
(Image credit: Future)
Travel Mode is more than just the typical airplane mode you’d find on your smartphone. Instead, it apparently adapts how the Vision Pro operates so that the experience is better suited to being crammed like a sardine next to people in Economy. According to code found in the visionOS beta, the headset will do this by switching off some of its awareness features and asking you to stay stationary while in Travel Mode.
Both of these make sense. The Vision Pro’s awareness features alert the wearer if a person or an object gets close to them while they’re wearing the headset. On a plane, where people are around you all of the time this could make the sensors go haywire and be a major distraction to your in-flight VR movie. As for moving around, if you have people sitting on either side of you then they likely won’t appreciate it if you start flailing your arms around.
So you won’t be getting the full Vision Pro experience during your flight, but the idea of making your travel better with VR certainly sounds appealing. The beta code doesn’t go into much more detail, but we can turn to the Apple Vision Pro introduction video shown at WWDC 2023 to get an idea of how Travel mode functions. TL;DR, you can use your headset as a private movie theatre and enjoy a 4K film of your choice (that you likely had to download before you boarded) on a massive virtual display – a much larger and higher-quality image than a plane’s built-in video screens.
The Nreal Air AR Glasses (Image credit: Nreal)
That said, if you don’t want to splash out $ 3,500 for a piece of travel tech, there are much more budget-friendly AR glasses that can achieve a similar effect to the Vision Pro’s private movie theatre. The Xreal Air AR glasses (formerly Nreal Air) won’t offer you 4K visuals and have a fair few faults – namely, we feel they’re pricey for what you get and the battery life leaves something to be desired – but if you’re a frequent flier these could be just what you need and they only cost $ 379 / £400 (around AU$ 570). And when the Xreal Beam launches it looks like many of the AR glasses’ faults could be solved.
Although Apple’s WWDC 2023 showcase did highlight VR gaming experiences as a core part of the Vision Pro’s capabilities, new information reported by Mixed has revealed that there might be some design choices within the visionOS software that could seriously impact the VR gaming experience.
Recently-released Apple documentation explains that “the system defines an invisible zone that extends 1.5 meters from the initial position of the wearer’s head”, during ‘immersive experiences’ in VR. It goes on to say that “if their head moves outside of that zone, the experience automatically stops and passthrough returns to help people avoid colliding with objects in their physical surroundings.”
This sort of safety feature is commonplace in the best VR headsets, like the Meta Quest 2. However, Meta’s system allows users to define a set space around themselves for the purposes of spatial safety; while it looks like standard VR apps on the Vision Pro – as opposed to Apple’s ‘immersive experiences’ – will switch to transparent mode if you move just a meter from your starting point.
Locked in a (virtual) box
While the Vision Pro does boast a lot of great features, a one-meter limit could prove problematic for some VR apps – especially games. I own a VR headset (the excellent HP Reverb G2) which I use for gaming, and I definitely move my head more than a meter while playing most games, like dodging an oncoming slow-motion bullet in Superhot VR.
Immersion is king when it comes to gaming in VR; you don’t want to be pulled out of the experience, and the Reverb G2’s system – similar to the Meta Quest series – allows me to ‘draw’ the exact boundaries of my space, which is much larger than a meter. If I get too close to a physical object, the entire game doesn’t become transparent. Instead, I see a blueish outline of the closest objects that bleeds into the game to warn me I might be moving too much.
However, with just a single meter of space to move around before your in-game surroundings become transparent, it’s not hard to see how in-game immersion could easily be interrupted.
The Vision Pro also relies on hand gesture controls rather than the physical handsets used by most VR headsets, which could prove to be a significant barrier to developers porting their VR games to Apple’s product. Obviously, neither of these stumbling blocks is a concern for playing non-VR titles, where the Vision Pro simply 'projects' a gameplay screen in front of you.
I can only hope that this is merely the default setting and that Apple will allow Vision Pro users to tweak the boundaries of their ‘safe zone’ for VR gaming. All reports do point towards this being the greatest VR device ever made, and it would be a real shame to see Apple drop the ball here – especially since the tech giant seems to finally be getting serious about gaming.
Apple has launched its first-ever beta for visionOS – the operating system the upcoming Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset will use – giving us a glimpse at what its new gadget should be capable of at launch.
As explained in the Apple Developer blog post making the announcement, the launch of the visionOS SDK will give developers the chance to start working on spatial computing apps for the Vision Pro. It will also help developers understand the Vision Pro's capabilities. Even better, the SDK provides a visionOS simulator so that developers can test out their 3D interface in a number of room layouts with various lighting conditions. And those tests have already revealed a number of details about what the Vision Pro will and won’t be able to do at launch.
This is only the first beta, and users are accessing the simulator via a PC rather than a headset – so expect some changes to be made to visionOS before it officially launches. With that said, here’s what we’ve learned so far about the Apple Vision Pro from the visionOS beta.
You can use the Vision Pro to scan real-world objects and text (Image credit: Apple)
According to info found in the visionOS beta, Vision Pro headset wearers will be able to use the headset’s cameras to find information about an item they scan and to interact with real-world text. This includes copying and pasting the text into Vision Pro apps, translating it between 17 supported languages, and converting units (like grams to ounces, or meters to feet). This sounds pretty neat, but unless you’re wearing your Vision Pro headset all the time while traveling abroad or baking with a recipe we aren’t too sure how often you’ll rely on these features.
2. The OS is intuitive
While not the most flashy feature, intuitive OS design and windows management in 3D space will be crucial for the Vision Pro. The idea of having loads of software windows floating around us seems neat – it'd be like we’re a real-world Tony Stark – but if it's a pain to position them how we want, it’ll be easier to stick with a traditional PC and monitor.
Thankfully, it looks like it’s super easy to move, resize, and hide app windows in Vision Pro, as shown off by @Lascorbe on Twitter.
visionOS, super intuitive so far:- You move the window with the bottom bar- When moving if the window touches other apps they dim- There’s a button to hide rest of apps (unsure how to bring them back yet)- Pointing at the corner of a window make the “resize handler” appear pic.twitter.com/ZHkA0I04SCJune 21, 2023
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The video also shows that you aren’t moving the apps on a fixed cylinder around you; you can take full advantage of the 3D space around you by bringing some windows closer while moving others further away – and even stacking them in front of each other if you want. While dragging a window it’ll turn translucent so you can see what’s behind it as you decide where to position it.
3. Porting iOS to visionOS is easy
According to developers (like @lydakisg on Twitter) that have started working with visionOS, it’s incredibly easy to port iOS apps over to the new system – so many of the best iPhone apps could be available on the Vision Pro at launch.
Just wow. I’ve been working on a private location journaling app for iOS, and simply by adding a new deployment target, my app can now function on visionOS without any additional changes! pic.twitter.com/Vg1TnfFVE4June 21, 2023
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This is great news for people that were worried that the Vision Pro might not have an app library comparable to the Quest Store found on Meta’s VR headsets like the Meta Quest Pro.
The only downside is that the ported iOS apps appear in a floating window as they would on a Mac rather than being a fully-fledged immersive experience. So while your favorite appears can easily appear on the Vision Pro, they might not take advantage of its new tech – at least not without the developers spending more time working on a dedicated visionOS version.
4. Battery percentages return
Battery percentages are a sore spot for many iPhone users. When the iPhone X was released over five years ago it changed the battery status symbol – the percentage disappeared and only a steadily emptying symbol of a battery remained. While this symbol does give a visual indication of how much charge your phone has left, it’s not always as clear as a number; as such, it's been a constant request from iPhone users for Apple to bring back battery charge percentages – which it did with iOS 16 when the iPhone 14 launched.
The Vision Pro trailer shows a battery icon with no percentage (Image credit: Apple)
Unfortunately, a brief section of Apple’s Vision Pro intro video showed us that the Vision Pro might make the iPhone X’s mistake by using a battery status symbol without a number.
Good news! The battery percentage does show on visionOS! https://t.co/Cvk2Xd2W6b pic.twitter.com/I00THVA0knJune 21, 2023
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Thankfully for fans of Apple’s more accurate battery symbol, users like @aaronp613 on Twitter have found that battery percentages do show up on Vision Pro. It’s not a massive win, but an important one for a lot of people.
5. Apps can use unique control schemes
The visionOS beta not only gives developers tools to create their own Vision Pro apps and to port their existing iOS software to the system; they’re also given details, sample code, and videos showing off the kinds of projects they could create for the upcoming Apple hardware.
One such game is Happy Beam, a video of which has been shared on Twitter by @SwiftlyAlex.
check out this game built for visionOS 👀 pic.twitter.com/thibhlZ3DjJune 21, 2023
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Happy Beam doesn’t look super interesting in and of itself – one Twitter commenter noted it looks like the sort of AR game you could play on the Nintendo 3DS – but it shows that the Vision Pro is able to recognize different hand gestures (like forming a heart) and translate them to different in-game controls.
We’ll have to wait and see how developers use these capabilities in their creations, but we can already imagine a few possible implementations. For example, rather than using button prompts you could make a scissors gesture with your hand to cut images and text from one document, then clap your hands to paste it in a new spot.
It also appears that Apple is conscious that its headset should remain accessible. As shown in the Happy Beam demo, there are alternative controls that allow Vision Pro users to rely on simpler gestures or controllers to play the game – with it serving as a reminder to other developers to consider similar alternative control schemes in their software.
This gameplay video shared by @wilburwongdev on YouTube shows how the game changes when not using your hands.
6. Fitness apps are discouraged
One last tidbit that has been spotted not in the visionOS beta but in the developer guidelines for the operating system. In its guidelines, Apple says app makers should “avoid encouraging people to move too much” while immersed in the headset. The wording is a little vague, but it seems as if Apple is against the development of fitness apps for Vision Pro at this time.
One notable omission from the Vision Pro reveal trailer was that there were no fitness apps featured. Many people (some of our writers included) use VR headsets for working out, or even just getting a bit active. There’s Beat Saber and Pistol Whip for more gamified workouts, or FitXR and Litesport for more traditional fitness options. These developer notes make the omission seem more intentional, suggesting fitness and activities involving a lot of movement are not in Apple’s current plan for the Vision Pro. We’ll have to wait and see if this changes when the device launches.
Apple’s Vision Pro won’t come out until early 2024; however, some features may already be on the cutting room floor.
A recent report from tech news site The Information reveals what the five missing features are and it even goes into a bit of detail explaining why Apple apparently saw fit to remove them. Below is a list of each of them. Do note that Apple has not publicly commented on any of this and that there’s still a chance any of these could show up in a future update. They're not completely off the table – yet. As The Information states, you can look at the missing tech as a road map where the Vision Pro can go post-launch.
1. Fitness apps
(Image credit: Apple)
We know from looking at the official trailer the Vision Pro will come with some sort of meditation app, but nothing else fitness-related. As it turns out, there were plans to introduce a lot more health-centric content. Apple, at one point, was working on a tai chi app complete with an on-device guide to help people with the exercises and yoga software that would’ve utilized the “headset’s downward-facing camera to measure breathing”.
Additionally, Apple developers sought a way to install “face cushions that were better suited for” intense workouts. Some employees even had talks with brands like Nike for some sort of collaboration.
The reasons why the fitness plans fell through are, according to the report, 1) the external battery pack got in the way and 2) the glass screen on the front was “too fragile to survive a bump from furniture”.
2. Gaming with precise controls
(Image credit: Apple)
Video games are a major draw for people looking to purchase a VR headset. After all, there are a lot of great virtual reality titles available for other platforms. So, you can imagine the disappointment many had when it was revealed the Vision Pro won’t provide a unique gaming experience. You'll have to use a gamepad when playing.
As to why the company isn't going all in on video games for its headset, an Apple engineer reportedly stated in a Slack channel the device’s hand tracking is “great for performing gestures [and] providing visual feedback”, but not for anything precise. Without those precise controls, gaming on the Vision Pro just isn’t possible.
3. Mac apps
(Image credit: Future)
At the presentation, the world saw that the Vision Pro was capable of running its own optimized versions of Mac software. Engineers at the company attempted to see if it was possible to “grab” an app from a desktop Mac or MacBook and seamlessly drag it over to the headset. Unfortunately, they couldn’t do it.
Despite the Vision Pro sporting Apple's M2 chip, which can be found on some high-end MacBooks, the headset’s operating system, visionOS, is based on iOS. This means the headset is unable to directly run Mac apps without limitations.
4. Augmented Apple TV Plus Content
(Image credit: Apple)
A big selling point for the Vision Pro is it allows people to watch movies or play games on a massive, virtual screen. But, would it be possible to offer users a much more immersive experience?
At the launch event, Apple showed various journalists, including US Editor in Chief Lance Ulanoff, a pre-recorded video of “sitting courtside at a professional basketball game in [a full] 180-degree stereoscopic 3D” view. Imagine turning around and seeing the Los Angeles Lakers or Miami Heat right next to you. The company didn’t say why the demo wasn’t shown to the public. However, The Information surmises it could be due to the “current state of internet speeds and the amount of data [needed]… to make the experience feel seamless.” The technology just isn't there yet.
5. Full-body tracking
(Image credit: Apple)
It’s unknown if any of the previous four entries will ever be released, but one that is said to still be in the works is full-body tracking. This tech works by scanning a person’s body, face, and hands to track movements before “representing their likeness in 3D space.” The idea is to portray realistic movement when talking with others via headset. It’s meant to make everyone feel like they’re in the same room. Instead of full-body tracking, we got digital personas for FaceTime.
It’s unknown why Apple removed full-body tracking from the reveal, but the report implies the technology will arrive at some point.
Although the Vision Pro is set to release in about six months or so in early 2024, there’s still work to be done. The Information points out that not a single Apple executive or employee has put on the headset “in front of a live audience” outside of a select group. Even then, that group wasn’t allowed to see “Siri or the virtual keyboard” among other things in action. It appears the headset isn't ready for its first public appearance. Hopefully, we'll get our hands on a demo build soon.
After over two years of rumors and speculation, Apple has finally revealed its upcoming VR headset, the Vision Pro, at this year’s WWDC 2023 event. The Vision Pro is nothing if not impressive, with capabilities like outputting 4K resolution from each stamp-sized display and creating a “digital persona” just by scanning your face.
But as Mike Rockwell, VP of the Technology Development Group at Apple, states in the announcement “none of [the] advanced technology could come to life without… visionOS.” It’s described as the first operating system specifically designed for “spatial computing”.
visionOS is described as the first operating system specifically designed for “spatial computing”. And it built on the same building blocks as macOS and iOS, but comes with unique features to better facilitate virtual reality.
(Image credit: Apple)
For example, visionOS comes with a Foveated Renderer, similar to the PSVR 2. What it does is increase the visual fidelity of whatever a person is looking at while blurring everything in your peripheral vision.
Rockwell then goes on to describe the operating system’s “multi-app 3D engine” allowing “different apps to run simultaneously”.
In the workplace
As impressive (or long-winded) as it all sounds, you may be wondering what it all looks like?
In its most basic form, visionOS looks pretty much like any other virtual reality platform. You have large windows floating in the space in front of you. Turning your head lets you see switch tabs so you can go from Safari to Messages. And when you launch the Vision Pro, you get an assortment of apps to choose from. Pretty simple stuff.
Where visionOS truly shines is in its individual use cases. You will be able to send 3D image files via Messages as well as display that model right in front of you in every possible angle. The system also responds to the natural light around you so the 3D objects will have shadows befitting of the environment you’re in. It can help you understand scale as well as distance. Professionals can create their own setup for work by arranging apps to their liking.
Control in visionOS will, for the most part, be done with your hands, eyes, and voice; however people will be able to connect Bluetooth peripherals like the Magic Keyboard if they prefer a more physical interaction.
(Image credit: Apple)
Beyond first-party software, visionOS will be running third-party apps natively at launch. This includes the likes of Adobe Lightroom, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom. It’s unknown if other apps like Photoshop will be present upon release.
Additionally, the operating system is set to run specific education apps. The one that impressed us the most is a piece of medical software for looking at renders of the human body. The announcement video shows an exploded view of the human heart, complete with ventricles as well as the pulmonary artery. There’s an engineering app to help people visualize certain physics phenomena like air flowing over a race car.
On the surface, it sounds like Apple is launching its own version of the Microsoft Hololens with all work-centric tools. But it's a lot more nuanced, as the tech giant is going for broke by incorporating some impressive entertainment features.
(Image credit: Apple)
And at home
At launch, Disney Plus will be available alongside over 100 games via the Apple Arcade platform. You can expand the VR screen to massive proportions like you’re in a movie theater. 3D movies will be supported too, so if you want to watch Avatar: The Way of Water as it was intended, the option does exist. Users can have the screen floating in their room, but if they want something more dynamic, the background can be replaced with a different environment like deep space or Mt Hood in Oregon.
We do wish Apple showcased more of the gaming side of things. We saw it’s possible to expand a game screen to a larger size so you can get a better view. Gamers won’t have to play with their hands as visionOS will support gamepads, namely the PS5 DualSense controller. Hopefully, support will extend to other peripherals like the Nintendo Switch's JoyCons.
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple didn't have much in the way of specific titles. If anything, the company seemed more interested in having its headset and operating system adhere more towards providing an experience rather than being a bonafide gaming computer. The keynote revealed a Star Wars VR adventure where you fly around the universe of The Mandalorian. However, there was nothing in terms of a lightsaber duel or anything action packed.
That’s pretty much everything there is to know about visionOS, at least to how it pertains to the everyday user. The rest mostly relates to software development. At the end of the keynote, Apple revealed the operating system will support the Unity game engine. This could mean the company is paving the way for developers to come in and create video games for visionOS. However, given Apple’s spotty history with video games, it remains to be seen if this will attract any developers at all.
WWDC 2023 recently concluded and a ton was shown off from MacOS Sonoma to a brand new Mac Pro. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s coverage of the event.
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