Skip to content
HearingTracker
Log in

Apple reveals Vision Pro AR headset, arrives early next year for $3,500

This topic is closed.

18 replies1.7k viewsLast reply

Link to this topic
8 people in this conversation5 min readJump to latest

Why not?! It’s only half the cost of a premium set of ’s at a full-service audi! And some folks get a new set of premium HA’s from their audi every 3 or 4 years (just kidding here)…

Some folks have said that what is lacking is the killer app for AR/ that makes it a must-have device.

I need to remind myself that instead of AR goggles, they’re really an all in one computer with a headset for a screen and controlled by eye movement, hand gesture and voice. Battery life (2 hrs) will likely be an issue. The price is inline with (even cheaper than some) high end Mac computers.

@MDB said:

, they’re really an all in one computer with a headset for a screen and controlled by eye movement, hand gesture and voice.

Apple made that argument in the WWDC presentation. But that’s if you live all by yourself. If you’re in a family of four, for everyone to watch a Netflix movie at >4K resolution, the bill is going to be $3,500 x 4 = $14K! It would be interesting if Apple Stores someday have demo models to try on. In the WWDC presentation, they mentioned different facial shapes and, IIRC, they said if you wanted to order one, you’d go to an Apple Store to have your facial shape measured, the better to fit you with a mask holder designed for the contours of your head.

If the Vision Pro could truly function as a hearing aid and had a visor-up mode were the face mask could be tilted up, I might consider one as my next set of hearing aids for at home use. If it could provide a heads-up display while driving, I might consider one. If it could work with PC gaming to provide a experience, I might consider one (Apple seems to think the Vision Pro and the M2 chip are going to help bring gaming to Macs, but I doubt it). Right now it just seems like a device for people who have money to burn and developers who might use the device to design industry or consumer AR/VR apps for less expensive devices to be sold later (the Vision SE?!).

Ideally since it’s a pretty powerful computer one could have some HDMI ports on the battery pack to run a monitor for group viewing, but that doesn’t seem to be Apple’s way of doing things.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think anybody else makes a computer/AR goggle combo. I think the other ones need to be connected to a computer. Those are also notably less expensive (around $500 I think)

In reply to @MDB

@MDB said:

I could be wrong, but I don’t think anybody else makes a computer/AR goggle combo.

The Microsoft Hololens is an independent unit with its own CPU, GPU, and HPU (holographic processing unit). I think at least Magic Leap and Google Glass also qualify as preceding independently operable AR glasses or goggles. Apple being Apple made their introduction sound as if after inventing personal computing, mobile devices, etc., they now have invented AR/ goggles. In all these areas, other folks were on the scene with similar ideas when Apple introduced its products. No different this time around. (The first personal computer was the Altair made by MITS).

Thanks. Wasn’t familiar with MS Hololens. Those are pricy too. I was only familiar with Meta and gaming headsets like Oculus. I’m guessing the M2 cpu has more computing power than others, but purely guessing. I’m not a fan of Apple, but their CPUs are pretty powerful and efficient.

In reply to #6

For those who are a bit older. They might remember, Oticon HAD when the OPN was launched a headset where it demonstrated the difference between the Opn technology vs Beamforming. I could totally see them using something like this again

In reply to @MDB

Good response. Seriously.

I’m considering a new computer.
My iMac is a 2010 model that’s still running…but Apple has declared it dead. And Google agrees.

Computer use is changing.

I pre-ordered an Apple Vision Pro, so should be having it on Feb 2. I was just curious if anyone knows how the Vision Pro with work with Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids … in my case Phonak Lumities. Does anyone have any info regarding that?

In reply to @bentsn1

IF it supports classic Bluetooth, it might work although I would expect a fair amount of latency. All they mention in the specs is that it supports Air Pods Pro.

I’m waiting for something like the Xreal AR glasses to drop below $250. All I really want them for is to display Google Live Transcribe. It’s super awkward to try to have conversations while looking at your phone screen.

Screenshot 2024-01-25 12.59.00 PM

In reply to @DamonHill

DamonHil

I’m using it.
I increased the memory about 4 years ago. Can’t afford a new one.

Google isn’t happy. I think it’s because I’m not protected by Apple from gremlins since Apple doesn’t support it anymore. Thought I bought it, and it was mine.

Dave

$3500? Wow, get one for everyone in the family. Don’t forget to treat your friends and neighbors.

And the $3,500 question is: "Is the Apple Vision Pro AR headset a future Bluetooth device? Or are LE Audio-compatible always going to be MFI-compatible, too? I’m ignorant of the details of how content might be streamed from a TV to a Vision Pro (or is an Apple TV device always required as a intermediate device?) but it seems sometimes one might want BT LE audio content from a TV or Apple TV and other times you need higher bandwidth input to an Apple Vision Pro (or a more affordable, dumbed-down consumer version) and how might that all work?

It would be kinda awkward to buy an Apple Vision Pro for $3.5K, then discover (like the ReSound Omnias vs. the Nexias) that if you want BT LE Audio capability, you have to buy the $3.5K BT LE Audio version of the Apple Vision Pro to upgrade…

Active discussions

What the forum has been talking about this week.