The Cupertino company has never been known for its haste. Apple takes its time to refine its products, even if it means letting the competition get ahead in certain markets. This strategy has just been highlighted again with an astonishing discovery: the Vision Pro, the mixed reality headset launched in 2024, was already in the company’s boxes 15 years ago. A recently unearthed patent from 2008 reveals striking similarities to the final product, testifying to the apple brand’s long-term vision.
The Vision Pro: 15 years of development at Apple
Apple’s AR/VR headset was thought to have been in development for ten years, but a recent discovery reveals that Apple was already working on its Vision Pro mixed reality headset as early as 2008, 15 years before its official launch. A patent filed at the time shows striking similarities to the final product, both in design and functionality.
Journalist Dan Moren from Macworld found an article he wrote in 2008 regarding this patent. The paper described “a wearable display capable of simulating a virtual environment experience using intelligent sensors.” Specifically, these sensors had to detect head and eye movements to adapt the display in real time – a description surprisingly close to the current Vision Pro.
Legendary patience that is Apple’s strength
This revelation perfectly illustrates Apple’s philosophy: taking the time necessary to refine its products before launching them. The Cupertino company is not generally the first to launch into a new product category, but it often waits until the technology is mature enough to offer an experience that meets its standards.
Apple is a bit like a magician, arriving neither too early nor too late, but precisely when it needs to.
This approach has been verified with the personal computer, the MP3 player, the smartphone, and now mixed reality.
Towards a democratization of Vision Pro?
If the Vision Pro finally saw the light of day in 2024, it is in particular because the necessary display technology simply did not exist in 2008. Today, the question that arises is that of accessibility: how much How long will it take for Apple to offer a more affordable version of its headset?
According to the latest information, Apple has paused the development of a cheaper model to focus on a second generation of the Vision Pro, which could be equipped with an M5 chip. This strategy is reminiscent of that adopted with the iPhone, initially launched at a high price before more accessible versions appeared.
This characteristic patience of Apple, coupled with its significant financial resources, allows it to take calculated risks and develop products over the long term. An approach which, so far, has paid off.
