Vision Pro global debut before Apple's annual developers conference: Report

Priced at $3,499, Apple Vision Pro will be available for pre-orders starting today in the US from 5AM Pacific Time

Apple will likely launch its upcoming Vision Pro headset globally before its 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which is expected in June this year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The Apple Vision Pro will be available for pre-order in the US starting today, with sales kicking off from February 2. However, the American tech giant has not yet officially confirmed about its availability in other markets. 

In a recent post on Medium, Kuo said that Apple plans to share more development details about visionOS with global developers at WWDC 2024, "If Apple can launch Vision Pro in non-U.S. markets before WWDC 2024, it would be beneficial for promoting the global development ecosystem of visionOS," he added. 

Stating the reason for Apple keeping the Vision Pro exclusive to the US market, Kuo explained that the limited initial supply for the device, coupled with the time needed to modify the algorithms to comply with regulations in other regions, is keeping the company away from launching the headset in other markets initially. Additionally, Apple wants to ensure that the sales process goes smoothly in the home country before expanding it to other markets. 

Ahead of the launch, Apple recently previewed the entertainment experiences launching with the Vision Pro headset. According to a press note by the company, the Vision Pro is set to debut with over 150 3D movies from Apple TV+ and Disney. Apple confirmed that other streaming platforms will add new 3D editions alongside or shortly following standard 2D releases for the Vision Pro. Apple said that Vision Pro users would be able to watch both 2D and 3D movies with Spatial Audio and in an environment for a more immersive experience.

Apple Vision Pro: Specification

• Processor: M2 chip
• Display: 2x micro-OLED. 23 million pixel count, R1chip (for refresh rates), Dolby Vision
• Audio: 2x dual-driver audio pods, Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, Lossless Audio, audio ray-tracing
• OS: visionOS
• Battery: 2.5 hours of video playback (according to Apple), USB-C charging