Apple’s Vision Pro headset is set to launch across a raft of new countries including the UK, US, China and Japan over the coming months.
The spatial computing headset, which powers virtual and augmented reality experiences, is set to launch in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore on June 28th. Pre-orders for the device in these countries will begin on June 13th.
The hardware will release in the UK, Germany, France, Canada and Australia on July 12th. Pre-orders are set to start on June 28th.
Vision Pro currently features more than 2,000 apps and over 1.5 million compatible iOS and iPadOS apps, Apple claims.
Spatial gaming
Highlighting its application for games, the company said users can play more than 250 titles from Apple Arcade using the headset, including recent releases such as Alto’s Odyssey — The Lost City, Crossy Road Castle, and Where Cards Fall. SpatialOS specific titles include Blackbox, Loóna, and DapTap.
Users are also able to access iPad and iPhone games, PC titles, and PC and console games through apps such as Steam Link. Apple said that these titles are compatible with PlayStation DualSense and Xbox Wireless controllers.
Apple Vision Pro pricing in the UK will start at £3,499, with 56GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities.
New Vision Pro OS
During its WWDC event, Apple unveiled VisionOS 2, which it called a “major update” to the Vision Pro headset.
Added functionality includes new hand gestures and productivity features – as well as physical mouse and Magical Keyboard support.
VisionOS 2 also includes new APis and frameworks to support apple development. This includes the TabletopKit that enables developers to build shared and collaborative apps centred around a table, such as board games.
One example it showed off was GRL Games’ Haunted Chess, a murder mystery board game where players can use 3D chess pieces and holographic cards to solve a mystery.
Additional features in the new OS include ‘Live Captions’ for live conversations and audio from apps. Users can also view content on their Vision Pro with AirPlay from their iPhone, iPad or Mac devices.
Dwindling interest?
News of the Vision Pro’s impending launch in new territories and updates to the VisionOS come after a report in April that suggested dwindling demand for the headset.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed demand for the device had “fallen sharply beyond expectations”, with projected shipments for 2024 dropping from 800,000 units to 400-450,000 units.
