Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), presented to the WWDC 2023,annual conference of the developers linked to the Cupertino company, one of the most awaited and innovative products ever: apple vision pro, the viewer for the augmented reality (AR), technology that allows you to superimpose digital information on the physical world e virtual reality (VR).
Nine years after the iWatch, it represents the first new product from Apple. To make it took seven years and hundreds of prototypes subjected to extensive tests but this new device promises to revolutionize the AR and VR experience through a totally immersive experience.
Apple CEO, Tim Cook, described the headset as an innovative product that offers incredible opportunities for users and developers: “Vision Pro is a revolutionary product, that only Apple could build, an all-new platform that presents incredible opportunities for users and developers,” Cook said during his keynote.
Apple Vision Pro: price and release
Il priceHowever, it won't be for all budgets. Apple Vision Pror will it be available starting from 3.499 dollars. The product will be initially only available in the United States from early 2024. Potential buyers will have the opportunity to try Vision Pro in store for a custom version of the goggle. No announcements on when the product will be sold in other countries, including Italy.
Apple Vision Pro: the features of the new viewer
Apple Vision Pro is a AR and VR headset which adopts an innovative technology called mixed reality, which allows you to easily switch between augmented and virtual reality. With a simple button, the headset offers an immersive experience, cutting off the outside world and allowing users to interact in a virtual environment. The viewer becomes opaque, lights up with colorful animations, and shows what the user is seeing, creating a true Metaverse experience. It could be defined as a new kind of computer. The viewer is controlled through voice, eyes and hands, eliminating the need for a mouse or controller. With the simple eye movement, users can access a variety of functions, such as watching movies, browsing documents, browsing the web and sending messages.
Apple Vision Pro comes with a high resolution dual display of 23 million pixels, which offers sharp and detailed images. Led by VisionOS operating systemspecially designed for the headset and powered by Apple's powerful M2 chip, Vision Pro promises super-smooth performance and support for hundreds of apps available on the App Store, including those from Microsoft.
Vision Pro's design is similar to an aluminum ski mask with ergonomic lines that adapt to the user's face. The back band is made of interchangeable fabric, which can be customized to the user's preference. Also, the viewer is compatible with magnetic lenses for those who wear glasses. L'spatial audio it is reproduced by two small loudspeakers inserted in the side bands, which leave the ear free to hear what is happening outside.
Vision Pro is developed to allow prolonged use, without leaving a sense of discomfort and heaviness on the face. L'product autonomy, however, is still limited with only two hours of battery. The external battery is worn around the waist and is connected to the headset with a cable.
Future success or failure?
“Today marks thestart of a new era for information technology. Like the Mac introduced us to personal computing and the iPhone to mobile computing, Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing. Built on decades of Apple innovations, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before,” he said Tim Cook. But it will be understood whether the viewer will be successful or fail like Google Glass.
Apple Vision, distinguished by the suffix "Pro", represents a new high-end product for the Cupertino company. The viewer it doesn't seem intended for the general public, but to early adopters and developers. Priced at $3500, the sales forecast are cautiously optimistic with estimates of one million units sold (compared to, say, 235 million iPhones sold in 2022). This is a test for Apple, which will evaluate the reception of the product and its success over the years.
A new beginning for the Metaverse?
While the success of the product is still uncertain, the arrival of the headset, and its mixed reality, opens the doors of Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), in the challenge of Metaverse. The launch of Apple Vision Pro could, in fact, regenerate the run to the Metaverse, which has seen little exciting development so far. Many industry players, including Google and Microsoft, have bet on alternative digital realities, but only Sony and Meta have shown signs of interest with their VR headsets. However, Apple's entry could change that and spur innovation in the industry. For many analysts, Apple's announcement opens the door to a new phase of the Metaverse, of which, however, no one is able to indicate the boundaries.
