It’s been a long time coming but the Apple Vision Pro is available to buy in the UK from today. The first batch of space-aged headsets are in stores right now and fans have been queuing to be the very first to get their hands on this “Spatial Computing” device. The Vision Pro was first revealed to the world in the summer of 2023 at the WWDC Developers Conference in Cupertino. It then went on sale in the US earlier this year and has finally landed on this side of the pond.
The wearable gadget, which looks a little like a pair of ski goggles, offers a unique experience with it able to mix real and virtual worlds together.
That means you can pop it on your head but still see the world around you with apps, messages, websites, emails and other content then floating in front of your eyes.
That’s all been made possible via small cameras dotted all over the Vision Pro which beam live footage of the room you are sitting in straight to screens embedded inside the headset.
If you want a fully immersive experience you simply spin the Digital Crown on the top of the device which makes the real world slowly disappear – you then find yourself in virtual worlds where you can play interactive games or watch movies on giant screens that look just like your local cinema.
Tiny speakers mean you don’t need to wear headphones to hear audio and everything is controlled via clever eye and hand tracking. That gets rid of the need to have additional accessories such as Bluetooth controllers.
Other features include being able to view Spatial Videos – which let you relive moments in a more immersive way – plus you can link it to your MacBook and work on giant screens that pop up in front of your eyes.
To make sure there are enough experiences for all tastes, the App Store also now features more than 2,000 apps designed for Apple Vision Pro; more than 1.5 million compatible iOS and iPadOS apps
As you can read after we tested it, the Vision Pro is a pretty magical gadget that has to be seen to be believed.
Sadly, it will set you back at least £3,499 but, if you want to try before you buy, you can book a demo via Apple’s website. This only takes a few minutes and means you can drop into some Apple Stores and get a taste of the future.
“Starting today, customers can visit the Apple Store online to book a personal one-on-one demo of Apple Vision Pro, available at Apple Store locations in the UK beginning Friday, July 12,” Apple explained.
“Apple team members will help customers find the best fit and get set up. Customers will also have the chance to explore the range of capabilities of spatial computing, from groundbreaking entertainment experiences to an infinite canvas for favourite apps, and so much more.”
If you like what you see you can then splash out on this headset with Apple offering different ways to buy including spreading the cost over two years.
“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, Apple’s CEO. “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.”