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Apple could launch the Vision Pro headset by February

Apple is prepping to launch the Vision Pro in February 2024. Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman reports that the Cupertino company is ramping up the productions of its first mixed-reality headset.

As you may know, the Apple Vision Pro was announced in June 2023, as a spatial computer. The Silicon Valley mogul demoed the headset by showing off its features, and the three-dimensional experience it offers to users. But the company is yet to launch the device in the market. That's going to change in the coming months, as Apple's facilities in China are in full swing to manufacture the headset on a large scale.

Apple Vision Pro launch date set for February?

The report says that Apple wants the Vision Pro supplies to be ready by the end of January, just in time for a launch in February. The launch event itself is expected to be a muted one. The Vision Pro will be available for a price of $3,499, which could put it well outside the budget for most people. The device is quite complicated, and uses special hardware such as multiple cameras, two ultra high-resolution displays, and two Apple Silicon processors. The drawback is that the Vision Pro is bulky, and offers a two-hour battery life, which considering the price tag may be unacceptable in modern standards.

Another factor that will complicate things is that the Vision Pro will be available exclusively in the U.S., at least for a while. This could make it difficult for potential buyers, in other parts of the world, to get their hands on the headset. On the other hand, if the Vision Pro does well, we can expect more mixed-reality devices from the company. Apple has been rumored to be developing more models that are more comfortable, and could come with a lower cost.

visionOS

Apple is betting big on the operating system that powers the headset, it's called visionOS. The company recently released the iOS 17.2 update, which introduced a feature called Spatial Video Recording. Users will be able to view these videos in 3D, with the help of the Vision Pro and its advanced display. The company sent out emails to developers to ask them to get their apps ready for the upcoming headset. This could be crucial, in determining whether the device succeeds or not. Apple's iPad App Store barely has any apps that make it stand out, hopefully the Vision Pro fares batter.

Training for store employees

Apple will send two workers from each of its stores, to its headquarters next month, in order to train them on how to use the Vision Pro, over a two-day period. These employees will then be tasked to teach their fellow employees at the store, and also play a role in marketing the device to customers. This will include interacting with potential buyers in a demonstration area, where they would help them understand the product, and also to educate users how to wear the headset's band, use optional prescription lenses, and the light seal to prevent light from external sources from interfering with the wearable's usage.

Apple will likely look beyond consumers to market the devices to, for example, schools and corporate customers. But it won't be an easy task, given other headset makers manufacturers have tried and failed to make an impact. Gurman states that Apple is already working on the next iteration of visionOS, which will be released in 2024 and will have close ties to other devices made by the company.

Apple Vision Pro faces a huge challenge with the Vision Pro, but it is worth remembering that the Apple Watch once faced similar hurdles, before it became one of the most popular wearables.

On a sidenote, Apple is also expected to launch new iPads and Macs in Q1 2024.

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