Apple just released a brand new product called Apple Vision Pro, which is a special kind of headset that lets you experience something called augmented reality. Augmented reality is when virtual things are added to the real world to make it look like they’re actually there.
The headsets are pretty cool because they can make it seem like virtual objects are right in front of you, even though you’re still in the real world. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, says that the headset can smoothly mix the real world with the virtual world.
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In addition to the headset, Apple also talked about some updates they made to their iPhone operating system. They’re always making improvements to their phones to make them better and more useful. They also mentioned some updates to their MacBook Air, which is a type of laptop computer.
The Apple Vision Pro headset costs $3,499 and will be available for purchase in the US early next year. The battery in the headset lasts for about two hours before it needs to be recharged.
So, the new Apple Vision Pro headset is a bit more expensive compared to other virtual reality headsets that are already available. It costs $3,499, while a different headset called the Meta Quest 3 from another company called Meta costs $499.
During the announcement, Apple didn’t say much about something called generative artificial intelligence. It’s a fancy term that’s getting a lot of attention in the tech world.
When Apple made the announcement at their developer’s conference, their share price, which is like the value of their company, went down a little bit. The conference took place at Apple’s headquarters in California.
Some journalists were actually at the event and got to try out the headset before anyone else. They wondered if Apple, under the leadership of Tim Cook, who became the boss in 2011, has been able to create something truly groundbreaking like they did in the past with products like the Apple Watch.
So, people are curious if the Apple Vision Pro headset will be a game-changer.
The Ski goggles
The Apple Vision Pro headset looks a bit different from other headsets you might have seen. It’s more like a pair of ski goggles than a virtual reality headset.
Instead of using the term “virtual reality,” Apple calls it “augmented reality.” Augmented reality, or mixed reality, means that it adds virtual objects to the real world around us. So when you look through the headset, you can see virtual things on top of what’s really there.
A journalist named Ms. Kleinman compared it to having your phone right in front of you, but much bigger, brighter, and more noticeable. It’s like having a big screen right in front of your eyes wherever you go.
The cool thing about the Apple Vision Pro is that it lets you do all sorts of stuff. For example, you can watch videos of your family blowing out birthday candles as if you’re right there with them.
You can also make your panoramic photos come to life and feel like you’re actually there. It’s not just for gaming like many other headsets out there—it’s designed to be a part of your daily life and make things more interactive and fun.
The Apple Vision Pro headset lets you do a bunch of things like using apps, watching movies, and writing documents, but all in a virtual world. However, there’s not much proof yet that a lot of people want or need this kind of wearable technology.
A journalist named Ms. Kleinman says that, in the end, it’s still a virtual reality headset. When it comes out early next year, Apple will need to have a lot of content available for people to use with the headset. And there’s another thing to consider—the price. It costs $3,499, which is a whole lot of money.
A senior editor named Hartley Charlton isn’t sure how much the general public will be interested in the headset. He thinks that because it’s very expensive and has some limitations as a first-generation device (like needing a separate wired battery pack), it might not appeal to most people right away.
But he also mentions that Apple has a history of proving people wrong when they have doubts about new devices. Apple has a way of convincing people to spend money on new gadgets and adding them to their collection.
During his presentation, Mr. Cook, the CEO of Apple, said that the Apple Vision Pro headset lets you experience digital content as if it’s actually in front of you, like it’s a part of the real world.
You control the headset using a combination of your hands, eyes, and voice. For example, you can tap your fingers together to make selections, and flick your fingers to scroll through things.
Just last week, other companies like Meta and Lenovo announced new versions of their virtual reality headsets. But their headsets don’t add virtual objects to what you see in the real world like Apple’s does.
Meta has also been investing a lot in mixed reality, which is similar to augmented reality. But right now, the whole industry is having some difficulties.
According to the International Data Corporation, global sales of headsets dropped by 54% last year. So, it’s been a tough time for the market.
The last time Apple released a major hardware product was back in 2015 with the Apple Watch.
An expert named Thomas Husson from Forrester Research thinks it might take a while for Apple’s new headset to become popular. He says that the augmented reality and virtual reality industry has been getting a lot of hype in recent years, especially with things like the “metaverse.” That’s why he thinks it might take some time for people to fully embrace it.
But he also mentions that if someone had told us 10 to 15 years ago that people would be willing to pay almost $2,000 for a mobile phone, many people would have found it hard to believe. So, sometimes new technologies can surprise us in terms of what people are willing to pay for them.
iOS 17
In addition to the new headset, Apple also introduced iOS 17, which is the newest version of the operating system for iPhones.
There are some cool updates in iOS 17. One of them is called “contact posters.” It’s like a picture or image of yourself that will show up on someone else’s phone when you call them. So they’ll see your picture and know it’s you calling!
Another feature is called “live voicemail.” When someone leaves you a message on your voicemail, you’ll get a real-time transcription of what they’re saying. So instead of just listening to the message, you can also read it as text.
This transcription feature will also work for audio messages that people send you using Apple Messages. So you can read what they said instead of only listening to it.
