Apple WWDC 2023: Tim Cook unveils Apple Vision Pro, company's first augmented-reality headset

Apple WWDC 2023: Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook unveiled what is now the tech giant's first augmented-reality headset. The headset, called Apple Vision Pro, was unveiled at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 (WWDC 2023). It is the company's annual software developer conference. With the launch of Apple Vision Pro, the company has made its first big move into a new product category.

CEO Tim Cook described it as "spatial computing" with the device controlled by your eyes, hands and voice.

"It's the first Apple product you look through, not at," Cook said.

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Apple did not make any major announcements about generative AI products similar to ChatGPT or Google's Bard search engine, but it quietly imbued several smaller features with AI, like live transcriptions of voice mails.

Apple's entry into the augmented-reality headset market will see the company in an arena already crowded with devices. Also, Apple Vision Pro puts Apple in direct competition with Facebook parent Meta Platforms.

Ahead of the launch, the iPhone maker saw its shares rise by 2 per cent. The prices hit a record high of USD 184.95.

Apple dropped Intel chips from its most powerful desktop. Intel shares fell by 3.9 per cent.

Gazing at the vision

Tech fans as well as investors are looking at how much of Apple's view of the virtual reality market overlaps with Meta's. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has already made his vision of 'metaverse' public.

In addition to Meta, Sony Group Corp and ByteDance-owned Pico both recently released virtual reality devices.

Research firm IDC said companies sold a total of 8.8 million headsets last year, down 20.9% from 2021. In the first quarter of 2023, sales more than halved.

More stuff from Apple WWDC 2023

Apple announced a 15-inch Macbook Air. It is powered by an Apple-designed M2 processor chip. The laptop comes with six speakers and has a starting price of USD 1299. It will be available next week onwards. The 13-inch Macbook Air will cost the buyers USD 1099.

Apple also updated its Mac Studio desktop machine. The company said that the new M2 Ultra chip can process AI work that rival chips cannot owing to insufficient memory.

Mac Pro has a new version now

Mac Pro has a new version now! The highest-performing desktop will now come with an M2 Ultra chip and with a price tag starting at USD 6999. The M2 Ultra chip is essentially two of Apple's largest M2 chips bonded together, a similar approach Apple took to boosting the performance of its M1 chips.

Until Monday, the Mac Pro was the last computer in Apple's lineup that still used an Intel chip.

"For PC users, there's never been a better time to switch to a Mac," said John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering.

The updates combine improvements to high-end machines aimed at the developer crowd at Monday's event with tweaks to messaging and a new M.ac Air aimed at a much broader group of customers, including potential switchers to Apple.

iOS improvements

Apple has also tinkered with iOS software. The small improvements are aimed at annoyances like a "NameDrop" feature to shared contact info more easily. There have been other changes focussed on safety and security. This includes a check-in feature which will tell contacts when a user has arrived safely at a destination.

What the actual 'duck'

Apple is famous for correcting the F-word to 'ducking'. It has now said that it was improving the autocorrect on iPhone keyboards.

"In those moments where you just want to type a ducking word, well, the keyboard will learn it, too," said Craig Federighi, Apple's software chief.

(With inputs from agencies)

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