Apple ( AAPL ) will release its new Vision Pro headset in the U.S. on Feb. 2, the company announced Monday, in what CEO Tim Cook described as the dawn of spatial computing.
Customers can pick up the headset at US Apple Store locations and the online store for $3,499 with 256GB of storage. Pre-orders for the device will begin on January 19, the company said.
Apple shares rose nearly 1.5% at the open, leading the stock to a one-week win.
The official launch of the VR and augmented reality headset marks a significant moment for the company as consumers get their hands on Apple's biggest product launch in nearly a decade.
“The era of spatial computing has arrived,” Cook said in a statement. “The Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced consumer electronics device ever created. Its revolutionary and magical user interface will redefine how we connect, create and explore.”
Apple's much-anticipated expansion of its hardware lineup comes at a challenging time for the tech giant. Cupertino is coming off a brutal week in which traders wiped out more than $175 billion in market value.
Apple's stock is closely watched because, as the market's most valuable company, it comprises a significant percentage of the S&P 500 index. A company's financial performance can affect the broader stock market. Because of Apple's enormous user base and its presence in important markets like China, the company also serves as a gauge of the health of the global economy.
As older hardware types, notably the iPhone, have reached maturity, the headset in particular is an experiment for Apple to chart a new path.
Apple's most critical audience has framed cooling demand for its devices as a sign of the company's slow demise. However, they argue that Wall Street is underestimating the traction of Apple's devices. They also highlight Apple's tremendous potential to grow its services business. Dan Ives of Apple optimist Wedbush estimates that Apple's services division alone is worth $1.6 trillion.
Vision Pro runs on a new operating system, dubbed visionOS, with a new three-dimensional user interface and inputs controlled by the user's eyes, hands and voice. Apple's device will go head-to-head against META's Quest headsets, pitting one American tech company against another as Silicon Valley tries to sell augmented and virtual reality as the next frontier in technology.
