Apple Vision Pro to hit store shelves in Taiwan on Dec. 17

Taipei, Dec. 3 (CNA) The Apple Vision Pro, a mixed-reality headset, is scheduled to be released in Taiwan on Dec. 17, U.S.-based Apple Inc. said Tuesday.

Apple said preorder sales of the Vision Pro, the company's first spatial computer, will kick off at 9 a.m. Dec. 5 with a starting price of NT$119,900 (US$3,678).

The Vision Pro was unveiled by Apple at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2023 and hit the U.S. market in February.

It was then available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore at different times in the summer.

According to Apple, users can use the device's built-in apps, such as Apple TV, Safari and Photos, to experience three-dimensional scenes, connect with others on FaceTime calls and download third-party apps from the App Store.

The Vision Pro is embedded with dual chips: the Apple M2 chip and the all-new R1 chip, which can process input from 12 cameras, five sensors and six microphones. This makes it feel like content is right in front of the user's eyes, according to Apple.

The Vision Pro also adopts two micro-OLED displays with 23 million pixels -- more than a 4K TV -- along with a specially designed lens.

In the latest Power On newsletter published in October, Bloomberg columnist Mark Gurman said the electronics giant is working to launch more attractive devices, including a lower-end edition of the Vision Pro and a second generation of the current model equipped with more powerful chips in 2026.

However, Apple has not confirmed Gurman's claim.

Meanwhile, Kuo Ming-chi (郭明錤), an analyst with TF International Securities, who is well known for his coverage of Apple and its supply chain, said in a post on X in early November that to his knowledge, Apple had delayed production of the more affordable version of the headset until at least 2027.