Apple launches Vision Pro with M5 chip and Dual Knit Band: All you need to know

Apple has introduced an upgraded version of its Vision Pro. Coming after two years, the new headset comes equipped with the latest M5 chipset and runs VisionOS 26. The Cupertino-based company claims that the new M5 processor promises improved performance and even faster, smoother, and more responsive experience for Apple Vision Pro users, while introducing new opportunities for developers to create more advanced spatial and immersive experiences. Another key change coming with the new Apple Vision Pro is the dual knit band which, the company claims, helps users achieve an even more comfortable fit.Price of Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip and Dual Knit Band starts at $3,499. Apple Vision Pro is available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities. Customers can pre-order Apple Vision Pro with the M5 chip and Dual Knit Band today in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S. It will be available for pre-order in China mainland and Singapore on Friday, October 17. It can be purchased from October 22 onwards.Dual Knit Band is available to purchase separately for $99, while the Apple Vision Pro Travel Case will be available for $199. The latest version of Vision Pro improves performance, display rendering, battery life, and comfort, while offering innovative features with visionOS 26 and all-new spatial apps and Apple Immersive contentApple says the new M5 chipset features an advanced 10-core CPU that delivers higher multithreaded performance, resulting in faster experiences throughout the system, including faster load times for apps and widgets and more responsive web browsing. The next-generation 10-core GPU architecture brings support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, enabling developers to add detail to lighting, shadows, and reflections in games like Control.With the M5, Apple Vision Pro is claimed to render 10 percent more pixels on the custom micro-OLED displays compared to the previous generation. The headset also offers an increased refresh rate of up to 120Hz for reduced motion blur when users look at their physical surroundings, and an even smoother experience when using Mac Virtual Display. Vision Pro with M5 works alongside the purpose-built R1 chip, which processes input from 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones, and streams new images to the displays within 12 milliseconds to create a real-time view of the world. Dual knit band on Apple Vision Pro features upper and lower straps that are 3D-knitted as a single piece to create a unique dual-rib structure that provides cushioning, breathability, and stretch.With visionOS 26, Apple has introduced a set of powerful spatial experiences to Apple Vision Pro. Widgets seamlessly integrate into a user’s space, making it easy to check the time or weather, play music or podcasts, decorate their space with photos, or access ChatGPT. Further, users can play back 180-degree, 360-degree, and wide field-of-view video from popular action cameras.Additionally, there are over 1 million apps available for Apple Vision Pro, including more than 3,000 apps built for visionOS. With the new Vision Pro, users can experience concerts like never before with Amplium; tune into their favorite teams with apps from major sports leagues; or enjoy a personal theater with apps from popular streaming services on a screen that appears up to 100 feet wide.Apple says that Vision Pro users will be able to enjoy iPad games like Where Winds Meet, POOLS, and Sniper Elite 4, fun spatial games like Porta Nubi and Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss, and the latest titles on consoles and PCs with apps like Portal and Steam Link. And with support for the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller, players get a new class of immersive games with high-performance motion tracking in six degrees of freedom, finger touch detection, and vibration support. Elu Legend, Pickle Pro, Ping Pong Club, and Spatial Rifts are some of the first games available with support for the PlayStation VR2 controller.