'Vision Pro' is Apple's first major product in 8+ years

Apple has officially announced its first mixed-reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The device boasts a range of features, including a screen on the front that shows the wearer's eyes and face, allowing others in the room to see when they are busy inside an application. The headset is controlled by a combination of hand and finger gestures, eye-tracking, and voice, and can be used with Apple's Magic Trackpad, keyboard, and MacBook. The device is being positioned as an entertainment, productivity, and communication device, with movies and TV shows viewable in 3D and text displaying crisply thanks to the internal 4K displays. Disney CEO Bob Iger made an appearance at the announcement to reveal that Disney+ will be available on the headset. Apple is entering a tough market, with previous attempts by other companies resulting in significant operating losses, but the company is confident in its product and projections indicate it could eventually be as significant as the iPad or Apple Watch. However, some Apple employees have expressed doubts about the device, including its price and whether it fits into the company's brand. The Apple Vision Pro will retail for $3,499 and is set to ship in early 2024. The device will compete directly with Meta's Quest 3, which was announced just four days prior to Apple's release and is part of Mark Zuckerberg's plans to pivot Facebook towards the metaverse. The Quest 3 will retail for $499 and go on sale in the fall.