The Apple Vision Pro made waves in June 2023 when it was first revealed to the world. The mixed-reality headset debuted in February 2024 for Americans, but many countries, including the UK, still haven’t received it yet. Now we’ve received an update on the Apple Vision Pro release dates for Britain and seven other regions.
The Promise of Mixed Reality
Debuting at an eye-watering $3,500, the Apple Vision Pro promised to change the way we see things like Virtual Reality headsets. While VR has struggled due to its limited use cases, augmented and mixed reality can benefit users more in the real world. Ultimately, it was a response to the increasingly digitized world that we live in today.
Over the past three decades, industries have slowly but surely found new homes in the online sphere. E-commerce is perhaps the best example, but also entertainment industries like streaming or iGaming have become prominent online. Through the internet, users can play Spin Till You Win roulette, a digital emulation of the classic casino game that can be played from home. Likewise, viewing movies and shopping has become much easier thanks to services like Netflix and Amazon. Smartphones made it possible to carry these services around in our pockets, but the Vision Pro wants to take it a step further by presenting a wearable device instead.
On release, the Vision Pro was at the epicenter of a cultural moment that both celebrated and poked light-hearted fun at the product. Its high price tag was also a subject of debate, though consumers can rely on that coming down if Apple’s mixed reality product line takes off. Apple aren’t the only tech giants taking an interest in mixed reality – Microsoft is continuing its HoloLens product line while developing a VR/AR software called Microsoft Mesh.
The Vision Pro’s Release Schedule
In this new rollout, East Asian countries are getting the Apple Vision Pro first. Pre-orders for China, Japan, and Singapore have opened as of the 14th of June, with the release scheduled for the 28th of June. Once released in East Asia, Western Europe pre-orders open on the same day – June 28th. The release date for the UK, France, Germany, Canada, and Australia is then set for the 12th of July.
In the UK, Apple has ignored price conversion and has instead opted for a pound-for-dollar price tag of £3,500. This will actually make the British Vision Pro cheaper than the American alternative, as the cited $3,500 figure is before a sales tax is applied. The British price is considered after VAT, so residents in the UK can expect to pay the price shown. The default price gets consumers the 256-gigabyte model, with the most expensive 1-terabyte model coming in at £3,899.
Comparison to the Meta Quest 3
Its new release schedule has sparked a clash between the Vision Pro and its biggest competitor, the Meta Quest 3. This comes after Mark Zuckerberg made a video earlier this year, where he said that the Quest 3 was the better product. That’s no surprise, seeing as it’s Zuckerberg’s own company, but his video compared features while touching on the fact that the Quest is seven times cheaper.
Mark Zuckerberg said the Meta Quest 3 headset is better than the Apple Vision Pro. 🫢
— No Jumper (@nojumper) February 14, 2024
pic.twitter.com/3biwmeHJCB
For most of its iterations, the Quest has been a VR-focused product, so its pass-through cameras have suffered in quality compared to the Vision Pro’s transparent pane. However, if improved upon, the Quest could become a competitor in the burgeoning mixed reality space. As for the price tag debate, it’s not the first time that Apple has heard criticism of its pricing structure. Earlier this year, research firm Omdia explained why the Vision Pro is so expensive. While it can be explained, it’s up to the markets in Europe and Asia to decide if the Vision Pro is worth it. If successful, we can expect to see Apple and its competitors move further into developing mixed-reality products in the future.
