Apple Vision Pro is finally available for pre-order in Canada, with delivery expected starting Friday, July 12. The starting price is a cool $5,000, but realistically, what’s the final cost when all is said and done?
What is Apple Vision Pro?
First, what is Apple Vision Pro? Introduced at WWDC 2023, Apple Vision Pro is a spatial computer you wear over your head and eyes, blending digital content with the physical world. You can enjoy experiences for work, like collaborating in meetings, entertainment, like playing games or watching movies, and more.
The App Store features more than 2,000 apps designed for Apple Vision Pro; more than 1.5 million compatible iOS and iPadOS apps; and more apps on Mac using Mac Virtual Display that work seamlessly alongside one another.
Leading business and productivity tools are available on Apple Vision Pro as well, like Box, Webex, Zoom, and apps from Microsoft 365. Vision Pro also has apps for top streaming services like Disney+, more than 100 3D movies, social apps like TikTok, and SharePlay with spatial Persona (beta right now).
Players can enjoy thousands of fun games, along with spatial games such as Game Room, Super Fruit Ninja, and Warped Kart Racers, with Apple Arcade. The Apple TV app and App Store are also home to storytelling experiences, including Apple Immersive Video and Encounter Dinosaurs.
Apple Vision Pro will come loaded with visionOS 1.2: visionOS 2 will be available as a free software update this Fall.
How to Buy Apple Vision Pro
Customers can experience a new at-home shopping experience that makes it easy to personalize and purchase Vision Pro, with assistance from an Apple Specialist available via chat or by phone. Along with pre-ordering Vision Pro, customers can add other accessories and AppleCare+ to their order, which we’ll get to a bit later.
In-store and online, customers can receive personalized advice on buying and setting up Apple Vision Pro. Learn about ways to buy, including financing options, and get shopping support from Apple Specialists.
Order Apple Vision Pro through an iPhone or iPad with Face ID and the latest version of the Apple Store app to complete a face scan. This scan helps you find the optimal Light Seal and head band sizes to provide a precise fit. For those who require vision correction, Apple partnered with ZEISS to develop ZEISS Optical Inserts that magnetically attach to Apple Vision Pro.
After making a purchase, choose to pick up the Apple Vision Pro at a local retail location, or have it delivered to your home. You can also schedule a free, 30-minute virtual session to learn more about unboxing, finding a precise fit, navigating visionOS, and more on the Apple Store online.
Starting today, customers can visit the Apple Store online to book a personal one-on-one demo of Apple Vision Pro as well, available at Apple Store locations in Canada beginning Friday, July 12. Apple team members will help you find the best fit and get set up. You will also have the chance to explore the capabilities of spatial computing, from entertainment experiences to favourite apps.
How Much Will It All Cost?
Now comes the big question: how much will this set you back? Apple Vision Pro starts at $4,999 and comes with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage. It ships with a Solo Knit Band, a Dual Loop Band, a Light Seal with two Light Seal Cushions, an Apple Vision Pro Cover, Polishing Cloth, Battery, USB-C charging cable, and USB-C power adapter.
But what about accessories? If you need to ZEISS Optical Inserts to wear it with your eyeglasses, these are $139 while prescription options are $199. A travel case makes sense if you plan to use it outside of the home and this is another $279. Finally, there’s AppleCare+, which is recommended for the spatial audio computer, and it’s $279.
WiFi HiFi’s John Thomson priced it out based on a complete package of essentially everything you’d need or want to use with it and his final tally came up to $8,979.49 along with taxes. There’s a financing option for $319.04/mo. for 24 months at 7.99% APR. This includes lots of upgrades and extras, however, like the biggest 1TB version, prescription ZEISS inserts, the travel case, a Magic Keyboard for tactile input, Magic Trackpad, Belkin battery holder, AirPods Pro (while the Apple Vision Pro has its own built-in audio pods, you can connect them to AirPods or Beats headphones to enjoy an enhanced audio experience with features like noise cancellation), an extra battery, 30W USB-C power adapter, and USB-C charging cable.
Granted, you can get Apple Vision Pro for a lot less than this by opting for a version with less storage and if you already own some of these products, like AirPods or a Magic Keyboard, or can do without them. But if you are buying something like the Apple Vision Pro, chances are you’re either an early adopter with money burning a hole in your pocket, or you plan to get the most out of it, which means having every accessory at your disposal.
Either way, expect to pay anywhere from $5,500 to $10,000 to get in on the Apple Vision Pro fun.
What Are People Saying So Far?
While the Apple Vision Pro is only arriving in Canada now, it has been available stateside since February 2024. Reviews have been mixed. Wired’s Julian Chokkattu says the optics are “excellent” though watching a movie doesn’t provide the same immersive sense as watching in a real theatre. He used it mainly for work, but found the experience frustrating at times. Scott Stein from CNET says he continues to use it every day and says there are times when it “amazes me with its bleeding-edge features.” The Verge’s Nilay Patel calls it “stunning” compared to other VR headsets and likens buying it to getting a very expensive TV.
Should You Buy the Apple Vision Pro?
The question about the Apple Vision Pro is not how good it is – most people who have used one are thoroughly impressed with the performance. But it’s one of those products that doesn’t quite have a specific target market. There are so many things you can do with it, but it’s a big price to pay to find out if you’d actually use it.
Early adopters who love playing with the latest and greatest technology will appreciate the Apple Vision Pro and everything you can do with the spatial computer. Those who work from home will revel in being able to participate in meetings, watching presentations, reviewing spreadsheets, and more from the comfort of the couch. Gaming can be taken to new heights, and watching a movie on a plane will likely be a much better experience than using any seat-back entertainment system or personal laptop mounted on the tiny tray table.
If you’re on your own watching a movie at home, why not throw on a pair, lie back and bed, and totally relax? If you’re with others, however, I can’t imagine it would make sense to isolate yourself by wearing one. Plus, since Apple Vision Pro is specially fitted to the user, it’s not a device you can share with other members of the family to take turns, nor one you’ll buy for every member of the family.
For workers, entertainment enthusiasts, and tech-lovers, the Apple Vision Pro is an interesting new product. But if you want to play, you’ll have to pay. And it doesn’t come cheap.