Apple's (AAPL +1.12%) history is marked by exciting launches that have transformed the company -- and maybe your lifestyle too. I'm thinking of products like the iPhone or the iPad. But it's been a while since the innovative tech company has unveiled a new game-changing product. The last one actually was the Apple Watch back in 2014.
However, the wait may be over. The company announced Vision Pro at its developers conference earlier this week. In an interview with Good Morning America, Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook referred to the device as "tomorrow's engineering, today."
But Apple isn't calling Vision Pro a step into the metaverse. Instead, Apple is focusing on the idea of spatial computing. Could this be Apple's next big thing?
Making your movie screen 100 feet wide
First, some details about the device: It's a headset that allows wearers to see apps, messages, and more within their environment. Users can launch a search through a simple voice command and scroll through items with a tap of a finger.
Vision Pro promises to make your movie screen feel 100 feet wide -- right there in your living room. Users also can look at their own photos and videos at life-size scale. And those are just a couple of examples of what this new device can do.
Users feel as if they're really in the middle of the action as they watch movies, TV programs, or sporting events, Cook said on Good Morning America. So, it's an exciting moment for technology fans. But it also is an exciting moment for Apple.
Vision Pro is the "most advanced piece of electronics equipment out there," Cook said during the interview. He called augmented reality a "profound technology" that Apple has been working on for a while. "This is the next chapter in that, and it's a huge leap," the CEO said.
It's clear that the product is a major innovation. But the question now is whether it will stand out as Apple's previous innovations have done -- and how it may impact revenue.
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Key Data Points
Vision Pro comes with a hefty price tag: at least $3,499, the company says. That's compared to Meta Platforms' Quest 3 that should launch later this year for $499.
Budget-conscious technology fans may opt for the Meta product. Even if the Apple product is superior, it may be difficult to sell Vision Pro to a wide audience at such a price level.
That said, at this price, Apple may not need a huge audience. My colleague Nicholas Rossolillo wrote about how Apple just needs to sell 1.9 million Vision Pro devices to equal the iPad's revenue from last quarter. This means Vision Pro could become Apple's next big thing -- even if it doesn't attract a huge audience.
A key step for Apple
And, right now, Vision Pro is a key step for Apple because it brings the company into a new era of technology. It's still too early to say whether this device will be a stepping stone for Apple in spatial computing, or if it will truly take off. But Apple's strong device track record is good reason to be optimistic about the company's position in spatial computing over the long term.
One key point to watch is the pace of development of applications for Vision Pro. Apple's developer community can harness the power of Vision Pro to create new app experiences, for example.
Whether Vision Pro immediately brings revenue growth to Apple or not, all of this means it still could be yet another game-changing device for the company.
