A computer strapped to your face saw release in America last year, but Australians missed out. Good news if you’re still keen: it’s coming down under, but it won’t be cheap.
The world of how we work is forever changing, and not just because some of us can work from home and manage a better work-life balance. It’s the gadgets that help us do this, as well.
Thin and light laptops that still offer plenty of power and heaps of battery life are one part, as are tablets that deliver scores of performance, too. Even desktops have a place, whether it’s an all-in-one or something a little more box-like.
But they’re not the only option on offer.
If the future you had in mind for work means strapping a screen to your face and using your entire environment as part of your world, typing in an endless sea of digital workspaces and just using where you live as your desktop, Apple’s Vision Pro has you mind.
Launched last year, the Vision Pro system is a complex set up of cameras and screens and gestures and tech to bring together a computer you can essentially wear and get stuck in.
There’s only one problem: while it was released last year, it wasn’t made available for Australians.
That looks set to change in July, as Aussies keen to get a taste of the next stage in personal computing will be able to jump in, provided they have a decent amount of money to part ways with.
As part of Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference this year, WWDC 24, the company announced that its next Vision operating system was coming in visionOS 2, supporting Siri, multiple screens side-by-side, support for Bluetooth accessories like a keyboard and mouse, 8K Immersive Video experiences, and more.
But perhaps more importantly, the headset was coming to more places than just America.
“The enthusiasm for Apple Vision Pro has been extraordinary, and we are thrilled to introduce the magic of spatial computing to more customers around the world,” said Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.
“We can’t wait for more people to see the impossible become possible, whether working and collaborating with an infinite canvas for apps, reliving treasured memories in three dimensions, watching TV shows and movies in a one-of-a-kind personal cinema, or enjoying brand-new spatial experiences that defy imagination,” he said.
It means that Australians will be able to soon wear a Vision Pro headset in public, likely to the attention of onlookers who have never seen one in real life, which given the limited release thus far will probably be everyone.
It also won’t be cheap, starting from $5999 for a 256GB Vision Pro locally, with a 512GB costing from $6349 and 1TB from $6699 in Australia.
Extras will be things like magnetic Zeiss optical inserts for different vision needs — reader lenses from $169 and prescription for $249 — while a Vision Pro travel case will cost $349 and AppleCare+ extended warranty for $849. Given the hardware design, the Vision Pro is one Apple gadget you might not want to skimp on AppleCare, given it will likely only be repairable by Apple.
Pre-orders kick in from June 28 in Australia, with Vision Pro availability from July 12, alongside Canada, France, Germany, and the UK. Ordering a headset will also be a bit of a unique experience, with a face scan occurring on an iPhone or iPad to find the best head band and Light Seal cushions to maximise the experience.
