Cupertino (California): The iPhone maker announced a plethora of devices and software updates at its flagship developer event but the star attraction was Vision Pro — a super-premium $3,499 AR headset or a spatial computer that seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world.
Apple kicked off its Worldwide Developers’ Conference (WWDC) 2023 here with unveiling the 15-inch MacBook Air, with an expansive 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, M2 chip and up to 18 hours of battery life.
The MacBook Air with M2 is available to order and will reach customers from June 13.
The 15-inch MacBook Air with M2, available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray, starts at Rs 134,900 and Rs 124,900 for education.
The company also introduced the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro, the two most powerful Macs ever made.
Mac Studio starts at Rs 209,900 and Rs 188,900 for students.
Calling it historic and marking the beginning of a new era for computing, Apple CEO Tim Cook then announced the Vision Pro AR headset that introduces people to spatial computing.
Vision Pro introduces a fully three-dimensional user interface controlled by a user’s eyes, hands, and voice.
Featuring visionOS, the world’s first spatial operating system, Vision Pro lets users interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space.
With two ultra-high-resolution displays, Apple Vision Pro can transform any space into a personal movie theater with a screen that feels 100 feet wide and an advanced Spatial Audio system, according to the company.
Apple Vision Pro also features EyeSight, which helps users stay connected with those around them.
When a person approaches someone wearing Vision Pro, the device feels transparent – letting the user see them while also displaying the user’s eyes.
When a user is immersed in an environment or using an app, EyeSight gives visual cues to others about what the user is focused on.
“These groundbreaking innovations are powered by Apple silicon in a unique dual-chip design,” said Apple.
Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that Disney+ will be available on the Vision Pro at launch.
Taking its silicon chip business to a new level, Apple introduced M2 Ultra, a new system on a chip (SoC) that supports up to a breakthrough 192GB of memory capacity, which is 50 per cent more than M1 Ultra.
On the software side, Apple announced iOS 17, a major release that upgrades the communications experience across Phone, FaceTime, and Messages; makes sharing even easier with AirDrop; and provides more intelligent input that improves the speed and accuracy of typing.
