Apple Vision Pro: What you should know before buying as pre-orders begin

Vision Pro marks the company’s introduction of a new product category, the first since the launch of the Apple Watch in 2015

Apple Vision Pro headset in a showroom on the Apple campus. AP

Pre-orders for Apple's long-awaited augmented-reality headset, Vision Pro, priced at $3,499, began on Friday ahead of its US release on February 2.

The Vision Pro is the Cupertino-based company’s first introduction of a new product category since the launch of the Apple Watch in 2015.

Chief executive Tim Cook described Vision Pro, which was first unveiled at the company’s developers conference in June, as a new era of spatial computing.

Spatial computing involves the digitisation of interactions between machines, people, objects, and their surrounding environments, enabling and enhancing actions and engagements.

How to buy Vision pro?

When customers buy Vision Pro, they need to scan their face with an iPhone or iPad with face ID. This helps the company to determine the right size headband.

Buyers need the latest version of the Apple Store app for the face scan.

Customers can place the order by going to the Apple Store page that says delivery of the product will start from February 2.

How much does it cost?

The Vision Pro is available at a starting price of $3,499 with 256GB of storage. Apple is providing a 12-month financing option for this model, which equates to $291.58 per month.

Additionally, there are other storage options, including a 512GB version priced at $3,699 and a 1TB version priced at $3,899.

AppleCare Plus, the company’s protection plan for accidental damage, is priced at about $499. A travel case to protect the device from dust and scratches is available separately for $199. An extra battery will cost $199 while prescription lens inserts can be bought for $149.

How many Vision Pro shipments are expected?

International Data Corporation expects Apple to ship fewer than 200,000 units this year. Earlier, KGI Securities analyst Christine Wang said she also expected shipments of 200,000 in the first year.

In contrast, Meta's AR-VR headsets in the first three quarters of last shipped more than 10 times Apple's expected volume, according to IDC calculations.

Credit Suisse predicted Apple could ship more than a million in the first year.

The company sold more than 1.4 million iPhones in the first year after its launch in June 2007, generating about $630 million in sales.

Can users wear glasses while using Vision Pro?

No. the device is designed to be used without glasses. If users wear glasses for vision correction, they may need to buy Zeiss optical inserts that will attach magnetically to Vision Pro.

Can customers use Vision Pro outside the US?

Apple Vision Pro is available for sale only in the US and is designed for customers in the US to use at home, at work, and while travelling, Apple said.

If a customer buys the device in the US and takes it to some country, he or she may not be able to access certain apps, features, or content due to licensing or other restrictions in other regions.

The company said it “look[s] forward to bringing Apple Vision Pro to more countries later this year”.