6. 06. 2023 | Kristýna Bezděková

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We’re pretty much done with the event of the year. Apple not only unveiled new computer hardware and their full software support at the opening Keynote of WWDC23, the event to kick off its worldwide developer conference, but there was also a much speculated mixed reality headset. And it’s true that we haven’t seen anything like it before.

The event, of course, was introduced by company CEO Tim Cook in the middle of Apple Park. The start was fairly fast-paced, with Macs coming first, followed by operating systems, and the end belonged to one more thing. Tim Cook introduced it with the mythical words that introduced the first iPhone from the mouth of Steve Jobs: ‘One more thing’. He teased it right from the start, saying he had something in store for us that only Apple can do.

Imagine the environment of the iPhone, iPad, Mac but actually the Apple Watch in a world without borders, frames and limitations. That’s what Apple Vision Pro gives you, a device for consuming mixed reality, both augmented and virtual, because why settle for one when you can have both. And you control everything with your eyes, voice and gestures. You reach out and point, clasp or unclasp your fingers, pull your arms, and so on.

It may look like ski goggles, but it’s definitely better than any headset on the market. You then “switch” between realities by twisting the crown. This determines the intensity of the background, which doesn’t have to be black, but can be a landscape instead of your colleagues in the office. When they come into your field of vision, you’ll see whatever you’re doing. The EyeSight feature then recognizes how you move your eyes and, with its help and the surroundings, sends the headset information if you can actually see them (as if you should, it’s taken care of by cameras and LiDAR scanners that detect their presence and adjust the interface).
You don’t have to take your glasses off for the surroundings to see you. In fact, the sensors inside transmit your face to the outside of the glasses. As unbelievable as it sounds, it seems to work pretty well. The sensors even understand that you want to look “behind” the glasses and adjust the image accordingly. It’s clearly magic from Apple, because when you see it presented, you simply say to yourself: “this can’t work.”

But it shouldn’t just work when you’re watching movies – it should do that from Apple TV+ or Disney+ – and when playing games (Apple Arcade support is present), not just when you’re working, when content is automatically transferred from your Mac. The device also works with an iPhone or iPad. However, the logic of power supply is a bit of a pain, with the external battery somewhere behind your belt or in your pocket. It lasts for two hours of operation. There is no surround sound or button to capture the recording.
There are three Zeiss lens elements on each eye, and the adjustability makes them fit any face. The displays are two micro OLEDs, the chips are also two, namely M2 and R1, which the company used here for the first time and it is obvious that with each new generation it will grow by one number. The glasses are claimed to have 5000 patents, the frame is steel, the padding is soft and fully adjustable.

The price is higher than expected, however, at $3,499, or about 77,000 crowns, plus tax. The device will hit the market early next year, but only domestically in the US, it will expand to other markets later. In case you were wondering where the artificial intelligence has gone then, nowhere. Apple hasn’t mentioned it.

Source, photo: apple.com

Kristýna Bezděková

Kristýna is a student of marketing and communication in an undergraduate program. She writes and translates content into the Czech language