€3,500 Apple’s VR / AR headset, a price disconnected from reality

It was expected the Apple conference during WWDC 2023 on Monday, June 5, 2023, and for good reason, many rumors announced the reveal of the virtual reality headset from the Apple brand. And the manufacturer did not fail since we were treated to a copious presentation of this famous Apple Vision Pro, the name given to this mixed reality mask. The first thing that strikes when you discover the helmet is that unlike all the others, it does not hide the gaze of its user, and therefore, it no longer isolates it from the surrounding world. It’s nothing like that, but it’s a real difference that Apple brings to an entire industry. So yes, it’s true that in terms of design, the Vision Pro looks a bit (a lot) like a ski goggle, or the helmet that was used in Steven Spielberg’s movie Ready Player One. The comparison is not trivial, since the intention is the same: to immerse the user in a virtual world, or almost. The idea is indeed to allow the person wearing the mask to stay in touch with the real world, which implies a greater importance of augmented reality, more than virtual reality.

Equipped with a glass mask to give it a premium appearance in its finishes, the Apple Vision Pro has two microOLED screens with 23 million pixels, which is greater than a 4K screen. On the sound side, Apple has integrated speakers compatible with Spatial Audio, with a technology capable of analyzing the sound in the room to adapt the noises around and make the experience more immersive. Several sensors are integrated into the device to manage space but also depth. proximity and infrared, as well as the TrueDepth cameras of the iPhone to analyze the depth. For comfort, the Apple Vision Pro is equipped with a digital crown, like the Apple Watch, which will allow you to adjust the desired degree of immersion. We note the presence of vents at the bottom of the device which will allow the heat produced by wearing the helmet to be evacuated. Moreover, it has been indicated that certain materials, such as the strap, were made of mesh fabric, the same that was used for the AirPods Max headphones.

Concerning I’interaction with the helmet, Apple specifies that Vision Pro works through simple gestures, but also responds to the voice, and to the eyes and hands, without the need for a joystick or a remote control. It will be enough to navigate with your hands in front of the headset, in the same way as on a phone or tablet, so that the device understands each of the gestures, such as pinching or spreading your fingers to reduce or enlarge a window. , or an image. The idea is to offer a classic interface in front of your eyes, in order to navigate through your applications, launch a streaming platform like AppleTV+ or Disney+ and thus watch a film and a series as if you were in front of a giant cinema screen. Otherwise, the rumors were right on another point, the battery, which is not integrated into the helmet (to make it lighter), but will be connected to a portable battery the size of an iPhone. It can be placed in a pocket or better, attached to the belt.

It remains to mention the annoying point, the price, which starts for the lowest model at 3,499 dollars, or around 4,000 € if we rely on the differences practiced on other Apple products between the United States and the France. At this price, the Apple Vision Pro will obviously not be intended for the general public. Idea of ​​the century or flop to come? We let you discuss it.