Apple Vision Pro Launches at WWDC 2023, IDR 50 Million Headset Equipped with Dual Chips

Apple Vision Pro, makes users fully immersed in the digital world (photo: dock.apple)

JAKARTA - After years of rumors, Apple has finally realized its dream of launching its mixed reality headset (MR), Vision Pro.

Introduced at the annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2023, Vision Pro is a standalone device that is claimed to be a competitor to Meta Quest 3.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era for computing. Blending digital content with the real world can open experiences we have never seen before," said Apple CEO Tim Cook at the event.

Much like typical Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, the Apple Vision Pro looks like a pair of ski goggles with a special micro‑OLED screen displaying 23 million pixels.

The three-dimensional layered glass serves as an optical surface for world-viewing cameras and sensors. It flows seamlessly into a custom aluminum alloy frame that gently curves over the upper face.

This sophisticated screen can be controlled using the user's eyes, hands, and voice. There are silicone straps on the side and over the head so that the headset can be adjusted according to the user's size.

The padding layer will help provide a snug fit on the user's face and make it comfortable to wear for a long time. A high-performance eye-tracking system of LEDs and an infrared camera is also included in this new Apple headset.

There is also a pair of high-resolution cameras that will transmit more than one billion pixels per second to the screen, so that users can see the world around them clearly.

The system helps provide accurate head and hand tracking and real-time 3D mapping, while understanding hand movements from various positions.

With Apple Vision Pro, it is claimed that users will be completely immersed in the digital world thanks to the combination of VR and AR, which results in digital images being overlaid on the real world.

There are also speakers positioned close to the user's ear, delivering Spatial Audio that keeps them aware of their surroundings.

An external battery supports up to two hours of use, and all day use when plugged in.

The tech giant's new headset builds on the foundation of macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, bringing visionOS a powerful spatial experience.

In visionOS, all apps can fill the space around the user, going beyond the view's boundaries. They can be moved anywhere, scaled to the perfect size, react to the lighting in a room, and even cast shadows.

It's not Apple if you don't embed advanced chips for its products. Vision Pro has a unique double chip design. The first is a powerful M2 chip, and can simultaneously run VisionOS, execute advanced computer vision algorithms, and present stunning graphics, all with incredible efficiency.

Second, it is a new R1 chip, specifically dedicated to processing input from cameras, sensors, and microphones, flowing images to the screen within 12 milliseconds for a nearly lag-free real-time world view.

The headset, which is priced at USD 3.499 million or equivalent to IDR 51 million, is built on the basis of Apple's existing privacy and security features with new technologies such as Optic ID, a secure authentication system that uses the uniqueness of the user's eyes.

Apple Vision Pro will first launch in the US early next year, and the company plans to expand it to other countries soon.