Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed Apple’s inaugural augmented-reality headset, known as Apple Vision Pro, during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 (WWDC 2023). Described as “spatial computing,” the device is controlled through eye, hand, and voice commands. Cook emphasized that it is the first Apple product that users look through, rather than at. While Apple did not make significant announcements about generative AI products like ChatGPT or Google’s Bard, it incorporated AI into smaller features such as live voicemail transcriptions.
Apple’s entry into the augmented-reality headset market places them in a competitive field alongside companies like Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook. Prior to the launch, Apple’s stock rose by 2%, reaching a record high of $184.95. Additionally, Apple made a significant move by discontinuing the use of Intel chips in its most powerful desktop, resulting in a 3.9% decline in Intel’s shares.
Observers are now interested in comparing Apple’s view of the virtual reality market with that of Meta. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously outlined his vision of the “metaverse.” Sony Corp and ByteDance-owned Pico have also recently released virtual reality devices.
According to research firm IDC, headset sales in 2022 decreased by 20.9% compared to the previous year, totaling 8.8 million units. In the first quarter of 2023, sales more than halved.
In addition to the headset announcement, Apple unveiled a 15-inch MacBook Air powered by the Apple-designed M2 processor chip, priced at $1,299. The updated Mac Studio desktop now features the M2 Ultra chip, capable of AI processing that surpasses other chips due to its ample memory. The new version of the Mac Pro, starting at $6,999, also boasts the M2 Ultra chip, which is essentially two bonded M2 chips, similar to the approach used for boosting the performance of Apple’s M1 chips. Prior to this update, the Mac Pro was the only computer in Apple’s lineup still using an Intel chip.
Other updates include enhancements to iOS software, addressing annoyances like a “NameDrop” feature for easily sharing contact information, as well as improvements focused on safety and security, such as a check-in feature to notify contacts when a user has arrived safely at a destination.
Apple also humorously mentioned improving the autocorrect feature on iPhone keyboards, acknowledging its reputation for autocorrecting the word “ducking” instead of the intended expletive.
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