Virtual & Augmented Reality and 3D News - Page 1

Apple finally announced the new Vision Pro AR/VR headset at its WWDC 2023 event on June 5, but it isn't going to put it on sale until the first half of 2024. That hasn't stopped the company from starting to plan for what comes next though, with as many as two new models thought to be in the works.

Apple Vision Pro - image: apple.com

Apple's Vision Pro broke the internet when it was unveiled and not just because it will cost a staggering $3,499 when it does finally go on sale. But it seems that Apple is well aware that the price is a little steep and is already keen to find a way to make it cheaper with a budget version on the horizon. The company is also thought to be working on another version of its high-end model as well, suggesting two products will eventually replace the one that still isn't available to buy.

This is all according to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman which claims that new budget and high-end AR/VR headsets are already on the way. In fact, Apple is so keen to get development underway that it's apparently already started to move engineers away from Vision Pro development and onto the two new unannounced projects. Gurman was writing in his weekly Power On newsletter.

Apple's Vision Pro headset is official and now that the visionOS software's been released to developers for testing we're starting to learn more and more about it. Now, we're learning that there's a special mode that people will have to use when wearing the headset on a plane.

Apple Vision Pro - image: apple.com

That's according to a new MacRumors report that is based on the outlet's diving into that visionOS release and associated developer kit. According to them, a special Travel Mode will be available for those on a plane and it will be triggered by a number of different prompts. But once enabled, it could limit the features that are available for use.

For example, when Travel Mode is enabled the Vision Pro's awareness features will be disabled, which suggests that some sensors will be available. That's possibly due to the number of people around the wearer and the close quarters they will find themselves in. The Travel Mode will also require the wearer to stay stationary as well, likely for similar reasons.

Apple finally announced the Vision Pro AR/VR headset during an event at WWDC 2023 last week and while the huge cost has understandably put some off, there's some light at the end of the tunnel.

Apple Vision Pro - image: apple.com

That's because Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that Apple is already working on a new, cheaper model for those who won't want to spend quite so much. But that doesn't mean that the high-end model is going away - Gurman believes that Apple plans to offer the headset in both Pro and non-Pro configurations moving forward.

According to Gurman Apple is well aware that the Vision Pro's $3499 asking price is a high one, but it's already keen on finding a way to offer a cheaper one. Gurman suggests that Apple could choose to reduce the display quality to save money, while also making a cheaper, more simple headband setup. However, the hand and eye-tracking capabilities as well as the external EyeSight display are expected to remain.

When Apple announced the Vision Pro headset during the WWDC 2023 event on June 5 it confirmed that the external battery pack will offer just two hours of power when the headset isn't connected to a power outlet. But that could change if there's a way to install a larger, more capable battery pack further down the line.

And it turns out that there might actually be a way to do that, although Apple is yet to confirm as much. Instead, it's been left to leaker DuanRui to posit that a hole on the Apple battery pack might allow users to eject the cable, meaning that it can then later be plugged into a different battery if required.

The cable does appear to be in a state that suggests it can be removed, and it's possible that putting something long and thin like a SIM ejector tool into the hole beside it will see the cable easily removed. There are two holes in fact, but one is likely to be an LED indicator that shows when the battery is either being charged or is in use.

Following Apple's announcement of the Vision Pro on Monday, the internet, or at least a portion of it, has unsurprisingly begun making fun of the strange animated eyeballs, turning them into a meme.

The bold decision by Apple to animate the eyeballs of the Vision Pro user and place them on an outwards-facing display in an attempt to make conversation with the outside world more comfortable has been laughed at by many users online. Some Apple fans have even gone as far as to say that company executives aren't happy with the design choice, with Bloomberg correspondent Mark Gurman simply asking why Apple CEO Tim Cook has never been seen using the Vision Pro.

Gurman asked why there aren't even any photographs of Cook using the 1st generation product, or any other Apple executives. During the presentation, the company only showcased models using the Vision Pro. According to Gurman, if it is true that Cook hasn't been spotted using Vision Pro, then that was an intentional decision by Apple for a currently unknown reason.

Apple's Vision Pro is now a real thing after the company announced it during the WWDC 2023 event on June 5. The headset itself looks stunning and the demonstrations that Apple shared made the software experience appear just as impressive. But that price has already given plenty of people cause for pause. And now there might be even more sticker shock on the way as well.

The size and shape of Apple's Vision Pro headset will mean that those who normally wear glasses will have to take them off to wear it. Apple and Zeiss have already confirmed a collaboration that will see the lensmaker build special prescription lenses for the Vision Pro headset without telling anyone how much they will cost. Now, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says that they could cost as much as $600, although it has to be said that this appears to be a guess on his part.

That being said, Gurman does suggest that there might be a chance of Apple helping to subsidize that price slightly, although it seems unlikely. Apple has repeatedly said that Vision Pro will start at $3,499 which means that there is scope for the price to increase somewhat. It's possible that these Zeiss lenses are where that will happen, but we'll need Apple to confirm that.

Apple has just unveiled what it's calling the Vision Pro, an AR/VR headset that will be the company's newest 1st generation product.

Watching movies in cinema

So, what is the Vision Pro? This is a first-of-its-kind release from Apple, and it's described as the newest spatial computing platform, providing users with a unique augmented and virtual reality experience. Apple has outfitted the Vision Pro with multiple cameras and sensors, enabling a controller-free experience through the use of eye-tracking and hand gestures. Users are also able to be aware of the world around them through Apple's seamless pass-through technology, which allows users to see a real-time rendering of the physical world around them.

How does it work? The cameras outfitted basically all around the headset scan the physical world around the user and then project a real-time 3D rendering of the world into the headset. Apple has equipped the Vision Pro with two 4K+ displays, one for each eye. Around these eye displays are cameras specifically designed to track the user's eyes, and once calibration is completed after the setup phase, the user is able to navigate the headset by simply looking where they want to click and then clicking by touching their index finger and thumb together.

Apple's new AR headset is called the Vision Pro, and pre-orders start in 2024 for $3,499.

Today Apple announced its new spatial computing platform with the Apple Vision Pro, a headset that aims to revolutionize the worlds of productivity and entertainment. Unlike other headsets, the Vision Pro has no external inputs like controllers and remotes. Instead, the Vision Pro relies solely on your eyes, voice, and hand gestures to navigate, create, and use applications.

The Vision Pro has seamless pass-through so that wearers can always see the real-world around them, and can display apps, movies, and games on digital screens. Apps can be launched in layered formats and three-dimensional objects can sit in front of or behind the digital screens.

Apple is roundly expected to announce its Reality Pro AR/VR headset during its WWDC23 event on June 5 and now a new report suggests that while Apple will push on, there are already suggestions that it shouldn't.

Apple Trinity Leeds - image: apple.com

Development of the Reality Pro headset has been ongoing for years but there is still a suggestion within Apple and its suppliers that it should consider delaying its launch yet further. Instead, it looks increasingly likely that the headset will be announced next month before going on sale later this fall.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the headset is far from complete and will be shown off in its current demonstration mode. The challenges associated with integrating the headset with new software are thought to be large, with production also thought to be proving problematic. And while it's thought that the June 5 unveiling will happen, the report does also note that Apple could still make changes to the timeline.

Apple today announced that it is bringing its pro-level audio and video apps to the iPad, but that isn't even the most exciting news. What if they also come to the Reality Pro AR/VR headset as well?

Apple's Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro apps are both coming to an iPad near you at the end of May and they'll both be available for just $4.99 per month. But Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has put the cat amongst the pigeons by suggesting that this isn't the end of the fun - what if those apps are also going to be available for people to use in a new AR/VR environment?

While Gurman doesn't appear to know when this will happen, there's a chance that we could see Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro running on a Reality Pro headset at WWDC23 next month. That event is expected to be the one where we finally see Apple take the wraps off the $3,000 headset after all.