Ahead of its February 2 release date, Apple has sent an email to prospective Vision Pro buyers outlining the pre-order process and offering an in-store demo to try before you buy.
The email, shared by 9to5Mac, begins by explaining the pre-order process, which will apparently require an iPhone or iPad with Face ID.
“This helps us determine the right size Light Seal and headbands, which work together to give you a precise fit,” Apple explains, adding that you’ll need the latest version of the Apple Store app (updated on January 11).
Secondly, if you wear glasses, you’ll need your prescription to hand.
“Because Apple Vision Pro is designed to be worn without glasses, we’ve partnered with ZEISS to create custom optical inserts that accommodate most prescriptions,” the email continues.
“When you order, we’ll ask a few quick questions to find out if you need optical inserts. If you do, you’ll upload a valid, unexpired prescription from a U.S. eye‑care professional after checkout.”
Try before you buy
But for those yet to be convinced (or for those without $3,500 knocking about), Apple will also be offering in-store demos. “Starting at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, February 2, we invite you to sign up for a demo of Apple Vision Pro at your local Apple Store,” Apple writes.
Demo slots will be available “Friday through the weekend on a first‑come, first‑served basis,” Apple says, but the company does not indicate how long you’ll get to try out the company’s spatial computing revolution. It might depend on how much demand there is in each store with demo units.
One thing that Apple may be loathe to show off at these trial sessions is keyboard-free typing. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, this feature is “a complete write-off” in its current implementation.
The Vision Pro virtual keyboard is a complete write-off at least in 1.0. You have to poke each key one finger at a time like you did before you learned how to type. There is no magical in-air typing. You can also look at a character and pinch. You’ll want a Bluetooth keyboard.January 12, 2024
“You have to poke each key one finger at a time like you did before you learned how to type,” he wrote in a post on X. “There is no magical in-air typing. You can also look at a character and pinch. You’ll want a Bluetooth keyboard.”
Add that to the $3,500 tab for early adopters, then. But could it be even more than that? Apple has been tight-lipped about versions with more than 16GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage, but it’s possible that higher-specced versions will follow.
Despite the high cost of entry, Vision Pro may be in short supply. The analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes there will only be between 60,000 and 80,000 units at launch and will thus sell out quickly. We’ll find out in just a few weeks’ time.
