Apple confirms its Imaginative and prescient Professional blended actuality headset achieves 90Hz with HDR
In context: Apple often releases a full spec sheet on its web site instantly after unveiling a brand new gadget, however no such desk presently exists for the Imaginative and prescient Professional. This leaves some technical questions surrounding the gadget unanswered, however a brand new developer deep-dive sheds a bit extra gentle on the headset’s capabilities.
Apple has confirmed that the shows in its just lately revealed Imaginative and prescient Professional mixed-reality headset often keep 90Hz and help HDR. The refresh fee is commonplace amongst VR units just like the Meta Quest, PlayStation VR 2, and Valve Index.
The Cupertino big mentioned the Imaginative and prescient Professional is “largely” 90Hz as a result of it additionally includes a 96Hz mode that may mechanically activate when customers watch 24Hz content material, which incorporates most motion pictures and TV reveals. As a result of 96 divides evenly into 24, 24Hz content material ought to show extra easily than on a typical 60Hz TV. Sony and Valve’s headsets can attain 120Hz, which additionally divides evenly into 24, however 96 works as a center floor.
Throughout the preliminary reveal, Apple emphasised arguably the Imaginative and prescient Professional’s most important benefit over the competitors – its 4K-per-eye show decision. The panels obtain roughly double the pixel depend of different headsets and allow viewing full 4K movies.
The refresh fee info is a part of certainly one of a number of guides Apple released to assist builders modify to its new mixed-reality working system, visionOS. The video sequence comprises info on the way to construct accessible interfaces for Imaginative and prescient Professional apps and content material that appears easy when carrying the headset, together with 2D and 3D movies.
Immersive 180-degree and 360-degree movies have lengthy been a core attraction of VR headsets, however much less consideration has gone towards their skill to play again flat-panel 3D video. Apple made streaming a big focus of its Imaginative and prescient Professional reveal presentation, together with 3D content material, with immersive Disney+ experiences as a spotlight. If the corporate thinks 3D streaming will probably be a major use for its headset, it is sensible to encourage leisure corporations and content material creators to embrace the format.
One of many guides focuses on correctly utilizing video codecs to create 3D streaming content material. Apple mentioned Imaginative and prescient Professional helps MP4 and HEVC however did not point out AV1, a royalty-free different gaining help amongst different {hardware} producers.
The headset’s different spectacular properties embody its M2 processor and R1 chip, the latter devoted to dealing with sensor enter to create a extra comfy pass-through expertise. The Imaginative and prescient Professional’s capabilities primarily quantity to an 8K MacBook strapped to the consumer’s face, however $3,500 continues to be loads.
