When Apple announced the January 19 date for pre-ordering the Apple Vision Pro, the company didn’t divulge many details about how that ordering process would go. Now that the pre-order is just a week away, Apple has revealed how the orders will work, and you’ll need an iPhone or iPad Pro to get one.
An update to the Apple Store app on Friday includes Vision Pro ordering “tips.” Depending on the application, a facial scan with the TrueDepth sensor is required to correctly size the Light Seal and headband. This means you need to be using an iPhone or iPad Pro with Face ID so Android and iPhone SE users don’t need to apply. It is unclear whether Apple Store employees will use the devices in-store for scanning purposes.
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Additionally, the Vision Pro cannot be used with glasses. If you need glasses, you need to upload a “valid, unexpired prescription from a U.S. eye care professional” so Apple can manufacture optical inserts. Apple is partnering with Zeiss to make prescription inserts for $149 and non-prescription “reader” inserts for $99.
In case you’re wondering how well prescription inserts work, I used them during my Vision Pro demo at WWDC 2023. At that time, Apple had opticians on site to measure my glasses and choose an insert that I could use. My prescription is complicated but the inserts worked well in my demo. The lenses were comfortable and I could see clearly with no visual abnormalities. It is also possible that because the close-up nature of the headset makes for an atypical environment, an exact match to a prescription is not necessary for the Vision Pro.
We’re still missing a lot of details on what needs to be done to complete the pre-order process. But also, what happens at the time of delivery: will the Vision Pros be delivered to people’s homes, or will they have to go to an Apple Store to pick them up and go through a proper fitting process? ? Will the prescription lenses be shipped with the device? Will you need an iPhone to set it up? We’re sure to learn more next week as we get closer to pre-order day on January 19th.
