Apple released its first new product in years, Vision Pro, on Feb. 2. Vision Pro is a mixed-reality headset that blends digital content with physical space, much like virtual reality (VR) glasses. To navigate, users will use their eyes, hands and voice. Pricing for Apple’s Vison Pro starts at $3,499.
With Vision Pro, apps can be accessed while a user looks at the space around them. Some examples include browsing the web with Safari, adding a to-do list with the Notes app or chatting with others on Messages. With a glance, users can move between apps effortlessly. Instead of going to a movie theater and paying for tickets, those with Vision Pro can transform any room into a personal theater. With a 3D camera, memories come alive and viewing photos has never been this unique. FaceTime calls, especially, can feel more like an in-person talk.
Its engineering is unique and contains different features than any other Apple product. On its website, the company states, “Apple Vision Pro integrates incredibly advanced technology into an elegant, compact form, resulting in an amazing experience every time you put it on.”
There have been rumors that this headset is a response to Meta’s VR headset. When comparing the two, they both have qualities that the other lacks. For example, Apple Vision Pro’s display quality and compatibility with gaming controls are more advanced but Meta’s display is 120 Hz making it faster than Apple’s 90 Hz.
Some of the top movies are available in 3D with the glasses, such as Avatar, Avengers and Star Wars, which will mark the glasses as the first 3D camera Apple has made. According to an analyst from investing.com, the brand’s ultimate goal is to have Vision Pro work alongside Apple devices.
As exciting as the new product may be, Ulysses Martinez, sophomore kinesiology major, is wary about the price point.
“The new product that Apple has recently released hadn’t intrigued me at all, especially as an Apple user. Sometimes you ask questions like what’s the point of this, and I had one of those moments knowing I didn’t really care much about it,” Martinez said. “I probably wouldn’t buy it, especially knowing that Apple always had expensive prices. As well as being a college student, if I really wanted it, I wouldn’t be able to get it knowing that I’m currently paying for school.”
Adrian Najera-Rico, freshman mechanical engineer major, has similar concerns.
“Apple’s new product interests me because technology is always evolving,” Najera-Rico said. We see new technical advances in each stage of the technological industry. But, I would not purchase due to a better model [or] version that would most likely be made within the next couple of years.”
For the last four quarters in a row, Apple’s overall revenue has fallen, according to Fortune. Just last year, they experienced a 3% dip in revenue. CEO Tim Cook said during a conference call that Apple “continues to face an uncertain macroeconomic environment.” Releasing Vision Pro now could be their strategy to boost sales and the odds are good, as the pre-orders have already sold out.
