On Monday, Apple revealed its first new product since 2014: The Vision Pro

On Monday at its WWDC developer conference, Apple unveiled its mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro. Since the Apple Watch in 2014, the $3,499 (£2,815) headset is the company's first significant new release.

Users of the Vision Pro will be able to view apps in their surroundings in a unique way. Users may search with their voices while using their hands and eyes to move through apps. The headgear may be used to see their own images or videos, play video games, and watch films, including 3-D ones, with spatial audio. Additionally, it may be used to interact with Adobe Lightroom, Microsoft Office programmes, and video conferencing applications.

Early in the following year, it will be offered with prices beginning at $3,499 (£2,815).

After the firm presented the headgear, Apple stock fell by approximately 1%, handing over gains from earlier in the day.

The EyeSight function allows the headset to change from transparent to opaque to indicate to those nearby whether the wearer is engaged in an experience or accessible for interaction. Spatial audio will give the user the impression that they are completely submerged in the experience, including the ability to sense other objects in the space.

A user's avatar that looks realistic may also be made by the Vision Pro and used in the experience.

With its adjustable and replaceable components, the headset can be customised to fit various face sizes and shapes.

For the Vision Pro, the business made a number of partnerships public on stage. Disney CEO Bob Iger took the stage to declare that Disney+ will be accessible on the Vision Pro as soon as it was released. Following Apple's announcement of a collaboration with the game creation platform, the price of Unity shares increased by over 20%, and trading was momentarily suspended.

Since at least 2016, Apple has been developing on headset hardware and software in a department named the Technology Development Group. The introduction on Monday is the result of years of effort, some done in secret and some as foundational components that were previously made available for the iPhone, such as depth-sensing cameras and software.

Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, recently spoke extensively about the possibilities of augmented reality, which superimposes computer visuals on the actual environment. He claims that technology may ultimately become a commonplace item for most people and that its effects may be comparable to those of the development of the internet.

The launch of Apple's VR headgear comes at a time when the whole VR market has had difficulty living up to expectations that are high for the technology. For the time being, it is regarded as "mixed reality," or virtual reality that has access to the outside world via cameras installed on the headgear.

With Monday's debut, Apple and Meta, which creates its own virtual reality headsets, enter a new age of open rivalry. The Quest 3 variant of Meta's newest headgear, which was announced last week, will be launched later this year.

(Sources: cnbc.com, reuters.com)