Apple recently unveiled its much-anticipated mixed-reality headset, Vision Pro, and announced that it would be offering free demos to interested users. The headset is set to officially launch in the US on February 2, with preorders beginning on January 19 at 8 a.m. ET. The demos will be conducted by Apple retail workers who will fit users with the headset and provide an overview of the interface, including instructions on how to adjust and use new features such as the Digital Crown, which allows users to seamlessly move between virtual and augmented reality. Additionally, users will be shown how to view still, panorama, and 3D images referred to as “spatial photos.”
However, new details have emerged about the device’s features. It has been reported that the virtual keyboard on Vision Pro, which was intended to offer users the ability to type in a virtual space, will not be available at the device’s launch. Despite the initial plan to have this feature, it has been revealed that the virtual keyboard did not function as smoothly as Apple had intended, leading to its exclusion from the first release. As a result, users will have to interact with the device “like you did before you learned how to type.”
Moreover, there are murmurings about another feature being excluded from the final version of Vision Pro. Recent updates to the “Introducing Apple Vision Pro” video available on YouTube and Apple’s official website indicate the removal of the Open Sky Environment feature. This feature would have allowed users to replace the view of their ceiling with a virtual sky, offering an immersive experience. While this feature was initially showcased at WWDC 2023, it appears that it has been deliberately removed from the final version of Vision Pro, as it no longer appears in the updated promotional video.
As the launch date approaches and more details about Vision Pro surface, it is clear that the device is set to offer a unique mixed-reality experience for users. While the exclusion of the virtual keyboard and the Open Sky Environment feature may come as a disappointment to some, the anticipation for the official release of Apple’s innovative Vision Pro mixed-reality headset continues to build.
