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Apple expected to launch mixed-reality headset at WWDC Vision Pro: Apple's new augmented reality headset unveiled
(about 7 hours later)
All eyes are on Apple as it is expected to launch a mixed-reality headset at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), in California. Apple has unveiled a much-anticipated augmented reality headset, Apple Vision Pro, in its first major hardware launch for almost a decade.
It would be the technology giant's most significant product release since it unveiled the Apple Watch, in 2015. Apple CEO Tim Cook said the new headset "seamlessly blends the real world and the virtual world".
Boss Tim Cook is expected to use his keynote speech to say this new product is the future. The tech firm also announced its latest iPhone operating system, as well as updates to MacBook Air.
But its expected price tag of about $3,000 (£2,400) might make that a tough sell for consumers. The headset has a two-hour battery life, costs $3,499 (£2,849) and will be released early next year in the US.
External battery The cost is considerably more than virtual reality headsets currently on the market. Last week Meta announced its Quest - which costs $449.
While Apple has not yet confirmed its existence, reports suggest the headset will offer both virtual- and augmented- reality experiences. Apple said little about generative artificial intelligence - the buzzy technology that is the talk of Silicon Valley.
Images online show the "Reality Pro" looking a bit like wraparound ski goggles. The company's share price fell slightly during the announcement, made at a developer's conference at Apple Park, the company's headquarters, in Cupertino, California.
If the leaks are correct, Apple has made its headset smaller and lighter by removing the internal battery. Users will instead have to carry an external battery that connects to the headset by a cable. 'Ski goggles'
A reveal at WWDC will not mean the headset will be on immediate sale - it will hit the shelves later in the year, reports suggest. Apple Vision Pro looks different to similar headsets on the market - and is more reminiscent of a pair of ski goggles than a virtual reality headset.
Streamed live Apple used the phrase "augmented reality" to describe what the new device does.
Sol Rogers, from visual-effects film studio Magnopus, told BBC News the industry would not change overnight as a result of WWDC but it would bring "validation and credibility" to the technology as a whole. Augmented reality, also known as mixed reality, superimposes virtual objects in the world around us - enabling us to mix reality with virtual reality by looking through a screen.
And when Apple does "find success", it would "redefine our digital and physical realities and propel us into a future where the extraordinary becomes the everyday". Mr Cook said the headset allows users to "see, hear and interact with digital content just like it's in your physical space".
The conference, at Apple Park, the company's headquarters, in Cupertino, California, will be streamed live on its website and YouTube channel. It is controlled by using a combination of your hands, eyes and voice - such as tapping your fingers together to select, and flicking them to scroll.
Mr Cook is also expected to speak about Apple's artificial-intelligence (AI) strategy. The announcement comes a week after Meta and Lenovo announced new iterations of their pre-existing virtual-reality headsets, that do not superimpose objects onto a view of the real world.
Hotly contested Meta has also invested heavily in mixed reality - but right now the sector is struggling.
Since the rise of OpenAI's ChatGPT, punters are growing more interested in deploying generative AI on their iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs.
Apple has been quieter than Microsoft and Google, when it comes to this hotly contested AI arms race.
But recent job adverts for more software engineers suggest it is looking to ramp up its AI expertise.
Apple is also expected to reveal a 15in (38cm) MacBook Air laptop and updates to its iOS, iPadOS and macOS operating systems.
A report from the Wall Street Journal also detailed how Apple would launch a mental-health journaling iPhone app at WWDC.
Last week:
Meta teased the latest Quest virtual-reality headset, with a much cheaper price of $499 (£402)
Lenovo released its latest ThinkReality VRX headset
Meta has also invested heavily in mixed-reality - but right now the sector is struggling.
The headset market saw a 54% drop in global sales last year, according to the International Data Corporation.The headset market saw a 54% drop in global sales last year, according to the International Data Corporation.
And Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg will probably be hoping Mr Cook can turn the focus firmly on headsets as the next big thing. Apple's last major hardware release was for the Apple Watch device in 2015.
iOS 17
Aside from the Vision Pro announcement, Apple also unveiled iOS17, the latest version of its iPhone operating system.
Updates include "contact posters" - a picture or image of yourself that will appear on a person's phone when you call them - and "live voicemail" - which provides a real-time transcription of an answerphone message being left to you.
This transcription will also apply to audio messages left using Apple Messages.
And Apple has introduced a system called Check-In - which will automatically tell a friend or family member when you've arrived home.
If your journey is substantially delayed, it has the power to tell others that you have not made it home safely yet.
The new operating system will be available in Autumn 2023.
Related TopicsRelated Topics
Mixed realityMixed reality
AppleApple
iPhonesiPhones
Virtual realityVirtual reality