Apple Vision Pro will finally launch outside US markets this summer, the brand confirmed at WWDC 2024. While that’s huge news for any Apple fan who’s been waiting all this time to put the luxury headset into practice, it’s a competitive game. several months for every manufacturer in that market.
The best VR headsets available right now all have exciting things to look forward to right now. PSVR 2 will receive its long-awaited PC support on August 7, reviving many PC VR gamers who want the highest visual fidelity they can get for their gaming rigs. Amid many firmware updates and continued quality of life additions, there are rumors that Meta Quest 3 will get a cheaper sibling sometime in 2024. That headset has already cornered Apple in the US, so I can’t imagine what a similar situation would be. a more affordable option will suffice.
Then we have Apple Vision Pro, which launches on July 12 in the UK, as well as in Germany, France, Australia and Canada. It will launch even earlier in China, Japan and Singapore, on June 28.
The device created a storm of hype when it was unveiled this time last year and launched in the US to much excitement in early 2024. This excitement has since died down, and the lack of gaming support coupled with its monumental price tag is certainly to blame.
In an effort to reignite the passions of global customers, Apple is updating its ski goggles with VisionOS2. In addition to the new spatial features and some interface changes, Apple says it will deliver higher screen resolutions and sizes for the virtual Mac display, and add a train setting to Travel mode. It is also said that VisionOS2 will make it easier for developers to create apps for the device and new content is already being created specifically for the device.
Over the past month we’ve seen a bit more gaming focus put on the Vision Pro. Demeo, Job Simulator, Vacation Simulator and Marvel’s What If…? are all started on the device. That won’t be enough to entice gamers who can opt for a cheaper option with more titles at their disposal, but it’s a start.
Questions were raised over whether the Vision Pro would even be launched in international markets after reports claimed that sales were not in line with Apple’s expectations.
“I say this with all the love in my heart: Uh-oh!”
I’ve said before that more competition drives innovation in hardware markets. Especially within the VR and XR sectors, close competition has been one of the few elements that have been missing so far. I want Apple to be a mainstay, I want hardware innovations like the Vision Pro to do well, but you have to admit it doesn’t make life easy for itself.
Pre-orders for Apple Vision Pro in the UK go live on June 28, and anyone interested in purchasing a headset who doesn’t already own one will be faced with quite a decision.
Spend your time £459 for the Meta Quest 3, which is a cheaper version of the Apple device that has access to a lot more content? Are you waiting for the rumored “Quest 3S,” which is said to be an even cheaper version of the same product? Will you opt for a gaming-only device in the form of the PSVR 2, which will give you access to SteamVR’s entire illustrious library of titles in just a few months?
Or will you opt for Apple’s £3,499 experiment, which fights against its own reputation as a premium device that you can’t do much with? It’s an uphill battle for Apple this summer, and a piece of non-essential technology this expensive needs all the help it can get.
Making matters worse are rumors that Apple plans to release a cheaper headset sometime in the next few years. The same reports stated that the Vision Pro would be discontinued before the international launch, so we’re not sure how reliable they are, but you have to think Apple will have to think about a more mainstream headset in the future.
It’s great that so many viable VR headsets are improving this summer, and they all likely have different flavors for different buyers. No matter which starter Pokemon you support in this case, it’s going to be an exciting season for the VR market.
For some VR deals, check out the best Meta Quest accessoriesand the best Meta Quest deals. If you prefer to stick to traditional ways of gaming, look for the best gaming handhelds.