Apple announces when the Vision Pro will go on sale

Apple said Monday that its Vision Pro mixed reality headset will be available for purchase in the United States beginning on February 2, with pre-orders beginning on January 19.

Apple said Monday that its Vision Pro mixed reality headset will be available for purchase in the United States beginning on February 2, with pre-orders beginning on January 19. The Vision Pro headset, Apples’ riskiest and most ambitious new hardware offering in years, is also one of its priciest products: It starts at $3,500. The company revealed Monday that the headset will have 256 GB of storage, and prescription lens inserts for the device will be available starting at $149. In a statement announcing the Vision Pro’s release date, CEO Tim Cook did not mince words: “Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced consumer electronics device ever created,” Cook said. “Its revolutionary and magical user interface will redefine how we connect, create, and explore.” The release of the Vision Pro marks Cook’s first new major hardware product launch at Apple in seven years, and only the third during his tenure as CEO. The device looks like a pair of ski goggles and and its underlying technology lets users overlay virtual images on live videos of the real world. Unlike some other headsets on the market, Apple’s mixed-reality device will display the eyes of its users on the outside, according to company demonstrations last June. The product is expected to face a number of challenges, as Apple is diving into an unproven market littered with other tech companies who have tried and largely failed to find mainstream traction for their devices. And the hefty price tag has also raised eyebrows since it was revealed at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June.