Apple: tech giant announces new 'Vision Pro' headset with eye-watering price tag - what else was announced?

Tech company Apple has announced a brand new mixed reality headset -and it comes with a hefty price tag.

The 'Vision Pro' was announced at the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference keynote event on Monday 5 June. Apple's CEO Time Cook made the announcement at the end of his address, touting the headset as marking a "beginning of a new era for computing".

The headset is a mixed reality device will allow the user to visualise digital aspects and apps in the real world concurrently. Cook added: “Just as the Mac introduced us to personal computing, and iPhone introduced us to mobile computing, Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing.

"Built upon decades of Apple innovation, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before — with a revolutionary new input system and thousands of groundbreaking innovations. It unlocks incredible experiences for our users and exciting new opportunities for our developers.”

But the "groundbreaking" technology will cost customers in the US a staggering $3,499 at launch. It is due to launch in the US in early 2024, with the release in other countries expected later in the year.

What is the Apple Vision Pro?

The Vision Pro will be a physical headset that the user can wear to seamlessly work between the digital and physical world. The user will be able to interact with a digital interface in front of their eyes while also being able to see the environment around them.

The headset will have capabilities to conduct FaceTime calls, watch TV or films, capture moments on camera as the user sees them and also allow them to interact with a range of apps.

It will also feature a 'switch' which will allow the user to control how much of their physical environment they are interacting with while using the Vision Pro.

What else was announced during Apple's WWDC 2023 keynote event?

While the Vision Pro headset caught headlines around the world upon its announcement at the end of the annual Apple event, the tech company were not short on other announcements.

A brand new 15-inch MacBook Air is just one of these announcements. The 'budget' version of Apple's flagship MacBook laptop has been given a major update, with the new edition running with the company's powerful M2 chip.

According to Apple, this has made the laptop 12 times faster than its older sibling, which runs on the fastest Intel chip. It will also carry an 18-hour battery life, as well having features such as Spacial Audio, additional mics and a 1080p camera.

The newest MacBook Air will be released on Tuesday 13 June at a price-point of $1299.

Software update iOS17 has also been announced and is expected to be released in autumn 2023. Apple haven't reinvented the wheel with this latest update but handy new tools such as Name Drop - which will allow contact information to be shared through the AirDrop capabilities - and a raft of updates to messaging, including search filters and audio message transcriptions.