Apple, Vision Pro AR headset at three times Meta's priciest device

Apple Inc unveiled an augmented-reality headset called the Apple Vision Pro at its annual software developer conference on Monday, its first big move into a new product category since the introduction of the Apple Watch nine years ago.

Vision Pro will start at $3,499, more than three times the cost of the priciest headset in Meta's line of mixed and virtual reality devices that currently dominate the AR/VR market.

Apple said that Vision Pro has a three-dimensional camera and microphone system to capture videos and pictures that can be viewed in 3D later. The company showed the feature being used by a parent at a child's birthday celebration.

The Vision Pro has two hours of use with an external battery, which Apple said would reduce the weight on the user's head.

However, the device must be plugged into the wall or battery pack and there is no standalone use.