Apple's long-awaited Vision Pro headset with eye-watering $3,499 price tag finally gets a release date

Apple's Vision Pro VR-headset will begin shipping in the US from February 2  Apple has not confirmed when the headset will become available internationally 

Apple has finally revealed the release date for Vision Pro, the headset that lets wearers choose apps with their eyes.

The tech giant will start shipping the high-end gadget on February 2 in the United States, with pre-orders open from January 19 at 8am EST.

However, the company has not confirmed when it will be available internationally so British Apple fans will have to wait.

At $3,499 (£2,749) Vision Pro is over five times as expensive as the rival Meta Quest 3.

Wearers will also be facing extra costs as Apple reveals that prescription inserts will cost an additional $149 (£117).

Apple has finally announced the release date for its long-awaited Vision Pro augmented reality headset which will begin shipping on February 2

Pre-orders for the headset will be open from January 19 in the USA but there is no confirmation of when the Vision Pro will be available abroad

The base model of the virtual and augmented reality headset comes with 256GB of storage and ships with a number of accessories.

These include a ‘Solo Kit Band and Dual Loop Band’, a light seal and two light seal cushions, an Apple Vision Pro cover, chargers and power adaptors, and a battery.

Those wanting to get the magnetic corrective lenses provided by Zeiss will also need to order online rather than from a store and will need a valid prescription.

However, the ordering process may be a lot more complicated than for previous Apple products.

In an email sent to Apple customers ahead of release, the company explained that customers would need to have an iPhone or iPad on hand to scan their face with to order.

The email wrote: ‘When you order Apple Vision Pro, you’ll need to scan your face with an iPhone or iPad with Face ID.

‘This helps us determine the right size Light Seal and head bands, which work together to give you a precise fit.’

The Vision Pro was first unveiled in June at WWDC, shown here, where it was touted as the most advanced consumer electronics device ever

The Vision Pro allows users to interact with apps and Apple devices with their eyes, hands, head and voice

Veteran Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also warns it is likely that the Vision Pro will sell out shortly after launch.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Kuo wrote: ‘Apple will produce 60,000 to 80,000 units of Vision Pro for the February 2 release.

‘Since the shipment is not large, I believe that Vision Pro will sell out soon after the release.’

Apple CEO Tim Cook says that the headset is the ‘most advanced consumer electronics device ever created.’

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted on X that the headset would sell out soon after release

However, the device must be plugged into the wall or battery pack – there is no standalone use

Cook adds: ‘The era of spatial computing has arrived. Its revolutionary and magical user interface will redefine how we connect, create, and explore.’

Apple first unveiled the Vision Pro at the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June last year.

By combining an augmented reality and virtual reality headset Apple claims that the Vision Pro is capable of blending digital content with the physical world.

Wearing the headset, users can overlay elements from their Apple devices onto the real world.

Using head, eye, and hand tracking the Vision Pro allows users to interact with more than one million compatible apps without the need for any controller.

Instead, users will be able to select content with their eyes, scroll by flicking, and click by tapping their fingers together.

The Vision Pro runs on Apple’s new Vision OS operating system which they describe as the first ever spatial operating system

With a 4k screen in each eye, users will also be able to enjoy movies and gaming in super high definition on screens that feel ‘100 feet wide’.

For more immersion, owners can use a dial located on the headset to switch from augmented reality (which overlays the screen onto the real world) to virtual reality.

This will give users more ways to interact with familiar apps like FaceTime and Photos, as well as the ability to view spatial videos taken on the iPhone 15 Pro.

Apple says that the Vision Pro’s EyeSight feature will allow people in the room to know whether users are in virtual or augmented reality.

The screen will show people in the room the user’s eyes when they are in augmented reality and go dark when they are immersed in a virtual world.

The EyeSight feature will show people in the room the user’s eyes when they are in augmented reality and turn opaque, as shown here, when they are immersed in virtual reality

The headset runs on Vision OS, which Apple calls ‘the world’s first spatial operating system.’

This is powered by a dual-chip operating system, using Apple’s M2 chip and a new R1 chip.

The R1 is specifically dedicated to processing data from the headset’s cameras, sensors and microphones.

The headset has a battery life of two hours and can only operate while connected to a separate battery or external power source.

There is no standalone mode as Apple has removed power sources from the headset itself to save weight.