Apple has announced its mixed reality Vision Pro headset is finally coming to Australia, along with a big range of software updates to the company’s entire ecosystem of devices as announced at WWDC 2024.
After launching its headset in the US last year, the Apple Vision Pro now comes to Australia, starting at $5,999 for the 256GB model. Other countries also get the wearable device starting later this month, including the UK, China, and Japan.
Positioned as an all-encompassing gadget for work and play, the Apple Vision Pro operates as both a virtual productivity space and a place for light-hearted entertainment. We tried the device at last year’s WWDC, where it impressed with its clever interface and seamless connectivity with other Apple hardware.
Although it fits the category of a mixed reality headset that gives you both an enclosed virtual display and a passthrough perspective – like similar devices such as the Meta Quest 3 – Apple pushes its “spatial computing” angle.
“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.”
Apple Vision Pro Australia release date & price in Australia
Pre-orders for the Apple Vision Pro start on 28 June in Australia, ahead of its local 12 July launch. On the company’s website, you can see a full overview of the pricing and accessories included.
Unfortunately, you can’t wear glasses with the Vision Pro, meaning you need to spend at least an extra $169 to get the headset fitted with inserts matching your prescription. Otherwise, the price for different storage configurations starts as follows:
- 256GB: $5,999
- 512GB: 6,349
- 1TB: $6,699
In terms of cost, that’s the same as a base configuration 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Max chip. It’s a pricey device reflective of the relatively new technology.
The headset is also getting a major software update soon in the form of visionOS 2. It’ll include the ability to create spatial photos with existing images, new hand gesture controls, and upgrades to Mac Virtual Display. This latter upgrade will let you view your Mac content at a higher ultra-wide resolution, equivalent to two 4K monitors side-by-side. Mouse support also comes with visionOS 2, adding a more conventional input method.
Other big WWDC 2024 announcements
Apple also revealed its major AI integration coming to its devices later this year: Apple Intelligence. As part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, Apple Intelligence improves Siri integration to become more personal and aware of context.
So, if you ask the virtual assistant a question, it can then carry over information into your next request. It also now works across both voice and text requests.
Not just for Siri, Apple Intelligence adds a wide range of AI features across native and third-party apps. A lot of the features are similar to Samsung’s Galaxy AI and Google Pixel AI features, like Writing Tools, which helps you draft, edit, and summarise text between apps.
Generative AI image creation also comes natively to Apple devices. One of the standouts here is Genmoji, which creates custom emoji based on text prompts. Like Google’s Magic Eraser tool, Apple’s Clean Up removes unwanted background subjects in photos.
As widely rumoured, Apple teamed up with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT functionality based on the latest ChatGPT-4o model. According to Apple, you can make requests and generate text even without a subscription. Siri can also use ChatGPT, although it asks for your confirmation before sending any queries or files off-device.
Apple also highlighted its privacy efforts regarding the ChatGPT integration. It obscures your IP address when making any requests, and OpenAI doesn’t store any of your requests either.
That’s just the tip of the WWDC iceberg, which we’ll continue diving into today.
Valens Quinn attended WWDC 2024 as a guest of Apple.
The post Apple Vision Pro headset confirmed for Australia: all the details appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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