Apple Vision Pro facts for kids
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Apple Vision Pro headset and battery pack
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| Codename | N301 |
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| Developer | Apple Inc. |
| Manufacturer | Luxshare |
| Type | Standalone mixed reality headset |
| Release date | US: February 2, 2024 |
| Introductory price | US$3,499 |
| Operating system | visionOS (iOS-based) |
| System on a chip | Apple M2 (8-Core, 16-Core Neural Engine), Apple R1 (12ms photon latency, 256GB/s memory bandwidth) |
| Memory | 16GB |
| Storage | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Display | Internal: ~23 MP total (equivalent to WUHD for each eye) dual micro-OLED (RGBB π subpixel geometry) up to 100 Hz refresh rate External: "EyeSight" curved lenticular OLED |
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| Sound | Surround sound speakers, 6 beamforming microphones |
| Input | 6DoF inside-out tracking, photogrammetry, hand gesture recognition through 12 built-in cameras and LiDAR, eye tracking and voice input |
| Camera | Stereoscopic 3D main camera system, 18 mm, ƒ/2.00 aperture, 6.5 stereo megapixels |
| Connectivity | Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Power | External proprietary battery with 2–2.5 hours of use |
| Current firmware | visionOS 1.0.2 |
| Mass | 600–650g (excluding battery) |
The Apple Vision Pro is a special headset made by Apple Inc.. It mixes digital things with the real world. This means you can see computer images and apps right in front of you, as if they are floating in your room!
Apple calls the Vision Pro a "spatial computer." You use your hands, eyes, and voice to control it. It's like having a computer screen that you can move around and interact with, all around you. Apple doesn't call it a "virtual reality" or "augmented reality" headset. They want you to think of it as a new way to use computers.
The Vision Pro runs on a special operating system called visionOS. This system lets you open many apps at once. These apps appear as windows floating in your space. You can turn a dial on the headset to make your real surroundings disappear. This helps you feel more like you are inside a virtual world. The headset can also create a digital version of your eyes, called "EyeSight." This shows people around you if you are focused on the real world or deep in a virtual one.
Contents
History of Vision Pro
How the Vision Pro Was Made
Apple started working on the Vision Pro a long time ago. In 2015, they bought a company called Metaio that worked on augmented reality (AR). AR adds digital images to the real world. Later, Apple hired Mike Rockwell, who put together a team to develop new technology.
This team created an early AR demo in 2016. They also worked with Apple's design team. They decided to show the wearer's eyes on the front of the headset. This was a popular idea because it helped people connect with the person wearing the headset.
Apple also bought another company called Vrvana in 2017. Vrvana had technology that could show clear, colorful digital images in the real world. Their headset could also track hands and space very well. This technology helped make the Vision Pro even better.
When Vision Pro Was Shown to the World
In May 2022, Apple leaders, including CEO Tim Cook, got to see the device. Apple also started asking movie directors to create special content for the headset. For example, Jon Favreau helped bring dinosaurs from his show Prehistoric Planet to life on the Vision Pro.
The Apple Vision Pro was officially announced on June 5, 2023. This happened at Apple's big event called the WWDC23. Apple said it would be available in early 2024 in the United States. The starting price was set at $3499.
After the announcement, Apple bought another AR company called Mira. Mira's technology is used in the Mario Kart ride at Super Nintendo World. This shows how much Apple wanted to improve its mixed reality technology.
On January 8, 2024, Apple announced the exact release date: February 2, 2024. People could start pre-ordering the headset on January 19. The first batch of headsets sold out in just 18 minutes! Apple sold about 200,000 units during the pre-order time.
How Vision Pro Works
Hardware: What It's Made Of
The Apple Vision Pro has a curved glass front and an aluminum frame. Inside, it has a soft cushion and a headband that you can adjust. The frame holds many important parts: five sensors, six microphones, and 12 cameras.
When you look into the headset, you see two tiny screens. These screens are very clear, with a total of 23 megapixels. They usually show images at 90 frames per second, which makes everything look smooth. The headset also tracks your eyes using special lights and cameras. This allows you to control things just by looking at them. It also has a security feature called Optic ID, which scans your iris (the colored part of your eye) to unlock the device.
If you wear glasses, you can get special lenses from Zeiss that attach to the Vision Pro. The speakers are built into the headband, right over your ears. They can even make it sound like sound is coming from all around you. To make sure the headset fits perfectly, you need to scan your face with an iPhone or iPad when you order it.
The Vision Pro uses a powerful computer chip called the Apple M2. It also has another chip called Apple R1. This R1 chip helps process all the information from the sensors and cameras very quickly. You can buy the Vision Pro with different amounts of storage: 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB.
The headset can be powered by a wall charger or by a special battery pack. The battery pack gives you about two and a half hours of use. It connects to the headset with a unique cable.
When you set up the Vision Pro, it scans your face to create a digital version of you called a "persona." This persona is used for features like "EyeSight." EyeSight is a screen on the front of the headset that shows your persona's eyes. If you are deeply focused in a virtual world, your digital eyes might look dim. But if someone comes near you, your digital eyes will appear normal, and you'll be able to see them.
A digital dial on the headset lets you control how much of the virtual world you see. You can choose to see apps floating in your real room. Or, you can make your real surroundings disappear completely, putting you fully into a virtual environment.
Accessories for Vision Pro
You can buy extra things for your Apple Vision Pro. These include a travel bag, special optical inserts from Zeiss for people who need glasses, and different light seals and cushions for a better fit. There's also a battery holder made by Belkin.
Apple also sells a special adapter for developers. This adapter adds a USB-C port to the headset. It helps developers create and test new apps for the Vision Pro.
Software: What It Can Do
The Apple Vision Pro runs on visionOS. This operating system is based on Apple's iOS (which runs iPhones and iPads). It's designed to work with mixed reality.
You control visionOS using your fingers, eyes, and voice. You can look at an app icon and then pinch two fingers together to select it. You can move apps around by moving your pinched fingers. To scroll, you can flick your wrist. Apps appear as floating windows that you can arrange in 3D space.
visionOS has a virtual keyboard for typing. You can also use Siri, Apple's voice assistant. It works with Bluetooth devices like the Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and game controllers. You can even share what you see on your Vision Pro screen with other Apple devices using AirPlay.
The Vision Pro can run apps from the App Store. It can also run many apps made for iPhones and iPads. At launch, there were over 1 million iPhone and iPad apps available, plus 600 apps made just for visionOS. Some popular apps like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube were not available at first. However, YouTube has said they plan to make an app for visionOS.
You can also use a feature called "Mac Virtual Display." This lets you see your macOS computer screen inside your Vision Pro. You can then control your Mac using the headset.
See also
In Spanish: Apple Vision Pro para niños
- Microsoft HoloLens
- Meta Quest Pro
- Google Glass
