Elitist Apple? At least, that's what its attack on the virtual reality market suggests.
Apple's first foray into the world of virtual reality, the Vision Pro is a headset hailed by all those lucky enough to get their hands on it - or rather, their heads inside it - with technical features that make it an exceptional model. We're talking about an incredible display, with screens estimated at a total of 23 million pixels, or more or less WUHD (5,120 x 2,160 pixels) for each eye, with a refresh rate of 96 Hz. For good measure, Apple has integrated its own M2 chip into the VR headset, a 10-core chip with an operating frequency of 3.5 GHz and computing power of 3.578 TFLOPS. Integrated speakers deliver stereo sound, and a total of 6 microphones have been distributed across the device. Last but not least, the helmet can be "controlled" in a number of ways, including 6DoF tracking, photogrammetry and motion recognition via 12 integrated cameras and a lidar system. Don't throw it away!
For all that, the Vision Pro has little or no chance of finding its way into your living room, and we can't accuse Apple of taking us for a ride: the company has been saying for some time now that the headset is expensive, very expensive indeed, and at an estimated $3,499, Apple hasn't been lying. There are also rumors of a possible "lite" version to make the more affordable product, but for the moment this is just conjecture. What is not conjecture, however, is Apple's stated intention not to sell its product to people who " would never have been able to try it before ". In principle, this is a good idea: there's nothing more frustrating than buying a product and realizing after a few hours of trying it out that it doesn't suit you at all. This is all the more important for a virtual reality headset, since the weight of the headset, its position on the head and the level of our vision are parameters that completely change the perception we can have of it.
Apple has therefore taken a drastic decision. Rather than sell its headset online, Tim Cook - the company's CEO - explained to ABCNews that the Vision Pro will only be sold "physically", in other words in stores... but not just any stores. Apple has decided that the Vision Pro will only be available in Apple Stores. What's more, sales will be by appointment only. Yes, you'll need to make a reservation to purchase the headset. In fact, the appointment in question is intended to determine whether the headset is right for the potential buyer. A potential buyer who, initially, will be a resident of the United States, since the Vision Pro will initially only be available in Uncle Sam's country early next year. Apple will therefore have ample time to modify or adjust its distribution model. Do you live in France? Well, be patient, because the Vision Pro won't be available there until the end of 2024... still in Apple Stores? Quite possibly.
