Apple’s first wearable spatial computer — the upcoming Apple Vision Pro — might be sold out soon after it is released next month, a reliable analyst has predicted. The iPhone maker recently announced that the headset will be available in the company’s retail stores in the US on February 2, two weeks after customers will be able to preorder the mixed reality headset. Apple’s expensive mixed reality headset will run on visionOS, a new operating system designed for viewing immersive apps and content on the Apple Vision Pro.
TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that Apple is producing between 60,000 and 80,000 units for the first shipment of the upcoming Apple Vision Pro. Due to the limited supply of the mixed reality headset, the analyst believes it will be sold out soon after the device is launched on February 2.
Apple’s Vision Pro headset has a high asking price — it is priced at $3,499 (roughly Rs. 2.90 lakh) in the US — but Kuo points out that Apple is yet to define the product positioning and its key applications. During its brief introduction at WWDC 2023, Apple showed off some of the capabilities of the headset, with users in a video presentation using the headset to view photos, take FaceTime calls, watch movies, work, and browse the Internet.
During the presentation, Apple’s innovative technology that uses an array of sensors and cameras gave users the impression that they could “control the user interface with their mind”, Kuo says, adding that the perceived experience along with heavy users of Apple products could ensure that the Vision Pro will be sold out after it is released next month.
Unveiled last year at WWDC 2023, Apple’s Vision Pro headset is equipped with high-resolution dual Micro-OLED displays that support both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) content. The headset also features Apple’s EyeSight technology that can provide a visual representation of the wearer’s eyes while in AR mode.
The Vision Pro is powered by Apple’s M2 chip paired with a new R1 chip that is based on Apple’s second-generation M-series processor. The device has five sensors, 12 cameras, and six microphones. Customers who wear spectacles can purchase Zeiss optical inserts, which will allow them to use the Vision Pro when it is launched in the US. There’s no word from Apple on plans to bring the headset to other markets, including India.
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