By Paschal Abu

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple retail stores have begun preparations for Vision Pro, which means that the product will be released soon, priced at US$3,499.

It is said that Apple invited some retail store employees to Cupertino, California, to train them on how to use and sell Vision Pro. The plan is to select a few people from each store to fly to the headquarters for training, and then let them return. Teach it to others.

Apple had previously only told employees that this training would take place in early 2024, around the time the Vision Pro would be released.

According to Gurman, these seminars have now begun to be arranged, and specific training activities will begin in mid-January next year, with each employee required to receive two days of training.

He noted that the setup process for the Vision Pro will be complicated and Apple doesn’t want to mess it up. The device needs to be customized to each individual’s needs and if not installed properly it can ultimately impact the user’s experience. So Apple needs to carefully plan every step, including having retail employees learn how to approach customers and put devices on users’ heads.

It is worth mentioning that although customers can reserve Vision Pro online, users prefer to purchase it in physical stores, and Vision Pro will only be available in the United States early on, and even if purchased in a retail store, an appointment is required.

Apple Vision Pro uses a micro-OLED screen with 23 million pixels and a single-eye resolution of more than 4K. The earphone masks and straps are cloth-lined and modular, and Apple says they can bend to fit a variety of face and head shapes.

Apple Vision Pro has an external battery that can provide 2 hours of battery life and can be connected through a “soft braided cable” so it can be put in your pocket when used. It is equipped with an M2 chip and a new R1 chip. The R1 chip is mainly responsible for transmission and also uses a new operating system visionOS.