SALTZMAN: Apple makes it official, unveils mixed-reality headset  

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Apple aims to take a big bite out of the “mixed reality” (“XR”) space, with a futuristic ski goggle-shaped headset dubbed Apple Vision Pro.

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The long-rumoured device — which allows you to see and interact with content superimposed on top the real world around you — was officially unveiled Monday at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) at Apple Park, the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.

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Several hundred tech journalists, including yours truly, attended the (usually) software-centric annual event for the development community, where new new operating systems and features are first shown.

But it was new hardware, specifically Apple Vision Pro, which stole the show.

What is Apple Vision Pro? 

Perhaps it was the worst-kept secret in the tech space, but Apple Vision Pro wowed crowds with the company’s first ever “spacial computing” device.

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Fusing physical and digital worlds, this wearable headset will be powered by the new visionOS operating system and features a fully three-dimensional user interface controlled with your eyes (tracked with an inward-facing sensor), voice (including Siri support), and hands, whether it’s via finger gestures in the air, twisting a Digital Crown knob on the side of the headset (similar to the dial on Apple Watch), or with an optional wireless keyboard or trackpad.

According to Apple, Vision Pro is the “most advanced personal electronics device ever,” backed by more than 5,000 patents during its multi-year development.

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Powered by two processors — Apple’s M2 chip (as in its Macs) and brand-new R1 chip, this wearable device boasts 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones.

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Forget the “speeds and feeds,” it was the surprising versatility of the device that impressed the most, perhaps.

For example, watch a TV show or movie on its twin displays (totalling 23 million pixels) and “stretch” the corners of the image to make the (virtual) 4K screen as large as you like. The room you’re in fades to black when the content starts, to create the illusion of your own personal theatre. Apple showed a video of someone watching a flick on an airplane, and everything and everyone else on that flight melted away.

Or you can shoot 3-D video of special occasions, such as a child’s birthday party, and then relive the memory inside the headset when played back with the same realistic depth.

Apple Vision Pro can also be used to play immersive games, including support for more than 100 Apple Arcade titles at launch, playable on Apple’s $5.99/month gaming subscription service for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.

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On a FaceTime call, you could have a digital avatar or “persona” that looks just like you, when chatting with someone over FaceTime, kind of like a hologram. The headset supports other (third-party) video chatting tools like Zoom, Teams.

For work, many native Apple apps will work with Apple Vision Pro — from Safari and Notes to Keynote and Pages — as well as render 3-D objects in front of you, such as an architect or engineer seeing a virtual model seemingly placed on a table you can walk around and analyze.

Without question, Apple Vision Pro appears to be a magical device, and could pull off what others failed to do, such as Google’s before-its-time Google Glass wearable and Meta’s questionable “Metaverse” concept lauded by Mark Zuckerberg.

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But the sticker shock is real: Apple Vision Pro will start at $4,705 — (US) $3,499 — and be available in the U.S. early next year, with more countries later in 2024 — Canada is expected to be among them (though not confirmed). Apple justifies the steep cost by reminding WWDC attendees this is like a big screen television, surround sound system, 3-D camera and computer — all rolled into one.

Another potential negative: Apple also didn’t discuss the battery pack, tethered to Apple Vision Pro, and barely seen in the many videos shown at WWDC.

New Macs, too 

Reality Pro wasn’t the only hardware at the show.

A new 15-inch MacBook Air kicked off the event, powered by Apple Silicon — specifically, its M2 processor — and at just 11.5-inches thin, Apple says it’s the world’s thinnest laptop in this screen size.

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Available in four colours and a fanless design (which makes it quiet), the new three-pound computer will boast a high-brightness Retina display, a six-speaker sound system, and up to 18 hours of battery life.

A new professional-grade Mac Studio was also revealed at WWDC, driven by a M2 Max chip under the hood, as well as the M2 Ultra processor, which doubles the power of M2 Max for “outrageous performance.”

Coming soon to iPhone 

As expected, there was plenty of hype about iOS 17 — the next-generation operating system that powers the iPhone — which see several updates when it debuts this fall.

Highlights include Live Voicemail, where you’ll see a live transcription of a voicemail message left for you in real time (Google has had something similar for a while), while FaceTime users now let you leave a video message to someone who didn’t pick up, which they can view later.

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An AirDrop-like NameDrop feature will let you easily share your phone number or email address with another iPhone (or Apple Watch) user when the devices are close to one another. SharePlay lets you listen or watch the same content on two iPhones, simultaneously.

Turn the iPhone on its side to initiate StandBy mode, which shows you glanceable information when your device is on your night table, kitchen counter or desk. See an alarm clock, photo gallery, or info from widgets (like weather, sports scores, when your food delivery has arrived).

WWDC also saw numerous updates for iPadOS 17 (for iPad), WatchOS 10 (for Apple Watch) and MacOS (with the new operating system called MacOS: Sonoma), plus extra features added to AirPods Pro (adaptive audio that combines active noise cancellation with transparency for when you need to hear around you).