Vision Pro gets the teardown treatment. Photo: iFixit
An Apple Vision Pro teardown shows the complicated combination of screens, cameras and other high-end components inside the $3,499 headset. The hardware required just to produce the creepy (and much-maligned) EyeSight feature is somewhat staggering.
Like other Apple products, getting inside the Vision Pro is not easy. You will need a heat gun, a prying tool, multiple screwdrivers and lots of patience.
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Good writing takes a lot of time, and hiring a freelancer can bust your budget. But that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. With AI content generator Wordplay, you can produce long-form written content for your website in seconds. And a lifetime subscription is now only $89.97 (regularly $199).
Apple’s new Vision Pro headset is but a day old, but already it’s been spotted in public in several amusing situations.
Here’s what folks have been up to with their new Vision Pros in the wild. Some users, likeJames Addictive, love Apple Vision Pro for its immersive experience.
Unboxing the Vision Pro. Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
Steve Jobs designed the Apple unboxing experience as a careful process of introducing the customer to an unfamiliar product. And the Vision Pro unboxing is no different.
You don’t just rip the product from its box like a kid at Christmas! You carefully unpack it, examining each component as you go. The idea is to gradually show the customer the parts of the product and give them an idea of how they work together. An Apple unboxing is a very carefully thought-out process and ritual.
And, as you’d expect, the Vision Pro unboxing proceeds just as Apple intended. The new spatial computing headset is sleek, premium and very luxurious. This is no Fisher-Price View-Master.
And as for Vision Pro first impressions after using the headset for a few hours? I was originally skeptical of AR headsets after using a Meta Quest 3 and not liking it much at all. But I’m now a zealous convert. I may never take this thing off!
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: A new round of Apple Vision Pro reviews gives us greater insight into what to expect from the high-priced headset. Is it utterly mind-blowing? Clunky and weird? So addictive that we’re doomed to a flat life in the boring 2D world when we take it off? Some might compare the experience to a sci-fi vision, much likeJames Cameron’s addictive Apple Vision Pro experience.
Sounds like all of the above!
Also on The CultCast:
A rundown of new features coming soon to iOS 17.
A respected analyst says iPhone can’t compete without these two key features … but at least one of them is nowhere in sight!
Is that an unreleased iPad in a Vision Pro cover story?
We’re giving away two rugged and waterproof Apple Watch bands from Lululook for all you sporty types.
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
The store demo of Apple Vision Pro is wonderful. I urge you to get one. Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
SAN FRANCISCO — I demoed the Vision Pro at the Apple Store here on Chestnut Street. It’s the most impressive tech product I’ve ever seen. It makes the iPhone seem like a primitive stone tablet. It’s amazingly intuitive, works literally like magic, and is incredibly emotional. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
You don’t have to buy a Vision Pro, but you absolutely must go to a store and get a free demo. We put together a video (below) that will show you what to expect from your Vision Pro demo.
Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin races onto Apple TV+ in February. Photo: Apple TV+
Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin shows how Franklin joined the Peanuts gang. The special will debut on Apple TV+ in mid-February.
Apple released the trailer on Friday so fans can take an early look.
Also this winter, Apple’s streaming service will release season two of Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock from the Jim Henson Company. The second season of Sago Mini Friends came out, too.
Take this ultra-fast, 3-device charger anywhere for under $65. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you’ve ever forgotten to put your phone on the charger at night (and who hasn’t?), you know how much it can throw off the entire next day. The pace of modern life doesn’t leave a lot of room for empty batteries to catch up, but now there’s a portable/travel charger that can make up for lost time: The Omnia X6i 66-watt compact wall charger.
It’s small, it packs three charging ports, and it even comes with international adapters to make your travels easier. Plus, it’s on sale for just $64.99.
Ready to get your mind blown? Check out these Vision Pro apps and demos first. Image: Apple
If you’re gonna spend $3,500 on a face-hugging computer, you’ll want to get your money’s worth of mind-blowing experiences. For that, you’ll need the best Vision Pro apps available on day one.
Here are some of the coolest apps, concepts and use cases we’ve seen so far:
Disney+ has 42 movies in stunning 3D for you to experience on Vision Pro. Photo: Disney
Now that Apple’s Vision Pro is out, Disney let everyone know Friday exactly which 3D films are available to watch on the headset. There are 42 different Disney+ 3D movies on Vision Pro at launch. The mix includes Star Wars and Marvel movies, as well as Disney’s celebrated animated fare.
And because of the immersive qualities of Vision Pro experiences like Environments, watching these 3D flicks could be pretty mind-blowing.
The Sonos sound system consist of Sonos One SL speakers on the desk and a Sonos Beam soundbar behind the user's seat (not shown). Photo: [email protected]
Sonos audio products are popular for a reason — they sound great and they’re not too far from affordable. Today’s MacBook Pro and Studio Display user thinks the monitor’s built-in speakers are good for many uses, but when they really want the big sound — for gaming, it turns out — they’re all about their Sonos One SL speakers and Sonos Beam soundbar.
Spatial Audio from Dolby Atmos technology creates surround-sound. Photo: Apple
Independent record labels say Apple’s recent promise to pay 10% more for Dolby Atmos tracks in Spatial Audio will take money away from them and give it to major labels and their stars, according to a new report Friday.
“It’s literally going to take the money out of independent labels and their artists, to benefit the biggest companies in the marketplace,” said a senior executive at one of the bigger independent record companies.
AI-upgrades could make iOS 18 among the biggest OS releases ever. Image: Apple
CEO Tim Cook teased Apple’s upcoming AI features during the company’s Q1 2024 earnings call Thursday, saying the company’s efforts will start to bear fruit later this year. It is rare for an Apple executive to provide even hints of the company’s future plans, but Cupertino has something to prove when it comes to artificial intelligence.
Google, Microsoft and other tech giants have invested heavily in AI, while Apple has little to show. However, the release of iOS 18 later in 2024 could change this. Cook says he’s “incredibly excited” about what’s to come.
Vision Pro is now available in the US. Screenshot: Apple
A couple of weeks after Vision Pro’s preorders went live, the headset is now available for sale through Apple’s retail stores in the US.
If you could not get your preorder, grab the $3,499 mixed-reality headset from your nearest Apple store today. And if you preordered on time, your unit should arrive later today.
Also, if you didn’t feel comfortable laying down that kind of cash for a face-hugging computer without trying it first, you can book an online demo at an Apple Store — but it’s likely to be difficult to book a session. Apple’s booking system appears to be overwhelmed, and big crowds are mobbing Apple’s stores.
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Apple eked out a win thanks to strong iPhone sales last quarter. But not everything was rosy. Photo: Karl Baron/Flickr CC/Modified by Cult of Mac
Apple’s holiday quarter financial results offer good news for investors. iPhone is doing great! And CEO Tim Cook talked about AI. But there’s rotten news coming out of China.
We pored over the results, and listened to the call Apple executives held Thursday with Wall Street analysts, so you don’t have to. Here’s the information you ought to know.
Finally! Strong holiday sales propel Apple back to growth. Photo: Redd F/Unsplash License/Cult of Mac
Apple returned to revenue growth during its most recent critical holiday quarter. The total it took in during the December period went up 2% — that’s after the company experienced declining revenue in each of the four previous quarters.
“Today Apple is reporting revenue growth for the December quarter fueled by iPhone sales, and an all-time revenue record in Services,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a press release Thursday announcing Apple’s fiscal first-quarter results.
You don't have to ride a bike to look cool wearing this gorgeous Apple Watch band. Photo: Lululook
If you wear an Apple Watch or you’re thinking about getting one, you should enter our latest giveaway. That way you might win a super-cool and rugged new Lululook Waterproof FKM Sport Band. We’re giving away one orange band and one blue one, and anyone in the world can enter to win through February 10.
The band is designed for the handsome and tough Apple Watch Ultra 2/1, but it fits Series 9 and SE, as well (42mm/44mm/45mm/49mm).
The biggest problem with Vision Pro? It makes the real world boring. Photo: Apple
Apple has a huge problem with the Vision Pro that no one has talked about: It’s highly addictive!
The astonishing visuals that Apple’s new headset pumps directly into your eyeballs make the real world seem dull, according to Nick Bilton, a Vanity Fair reporter who got behind-the-scenes access for a cover story published Thursday.
In fact, Bilton says Vision Pro is “like a drug” that offers a “dopamine hit.” And an unnamed source in Bilton’s story likens the Vision Pro to “tech fentanyl.”
Is this an unannounced 2024 iPad Air? Well, no. Photo: Vanity Fair
Some people think the first picture of Tim Cook wearing a Vision Pro also has a surprise: an iPad that Apple hasn’t released yet. But no. The tablet looks a bit odd, but that’s not because it’s a future one with a new design.
Here are all the reasons AirTags make noise (plus how to stop it). Image: Cult of Mac/Auguras Pipiras/Unsplash
Do AirTags make noise? They don’t look like they make any sound, but yes indeed they do. They make noise for a variety of reasons, and in my experience, it can sometimes be mysterious — or irritating.
What does the setup chime mean?
Why is this AirTag I found beeping?
And how do I stop it?
I have about half a dozen AirTags, my family has about a dozen more, and we use them regularly to find lost or forgotten items.
But they can sometimes be mysterious and the sounds they make aren’t always obvious. Here are all the reasons why it’s beeping at you, and how to stop it. But be warned: it’s not a simple yes/no situation.
A new app lets you sit in a throne room a la "House of the Dragon" on HBO. Photo: Apple
A day ahead of Vision Pro’s release, Apple put a spotlight on more than 600 new “spatial” apps and games made specifically for the headset. They join more than a million Vision Pro-compatible apps Friday in the App Store.
“Apple Vision Pro is unlocking the imaginations of our worldwide developer community, and we’re inspired by the range of spatial experiences they’ve created for this exciting new platform,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of worldwide developer relations.