Apple Vision Pro will require a Face ID scan to order online.
When announcing the US launch date as February 2 earlier this week, Apple confirmed that Vision Pro will be exclusively available from Apple’s web store and physical Apple Stores.
In an email today to customers who signed up for Apple Vision Pro news, Apple explained that ordering online requires a Face ID scan from a compatible iPhone or iPad Pro.
This face scan, the email explains, will be performed via the Apple Store app.
The purpose of the face scan is to determine the best size of light seal (what Meta calls the facial interface) and head bands to ship with your Vision Pro, as both the Light Seal and head bands come in different sizes. Which size will be most comfortable for you depends on the shape and size of your face and head.
The Bigscreen Beyond PC VR headset also requires a Face ID scan. Bigscreen goes much further than Apple though, using the scan to deliver a custom facial interface molded for your face and to fix the lenses at your interpupillary distance to avoid the need for a lens separation adjustment mechanism, reducing weight.
Meanwhile, Meta ships its Quest headsets with a single facial interface and adjustable strap, though for Quest 2 it offers a “fit pack” accessory kit that includes two additional facial interfaces, one wider than the default one and the other narrower. There’s a thriving third-party facial interface and strap market for Quest headsets though, with a diverse range of options to eventually find the best fit.
David Heaney
Back in June Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who reliably reported many details of the upcoming headset before it was officially revealed or even acknowledged to exist by Apple, reported that “many” testers found Vision Pro “too heavy” after multiple hours of continuous use. It’s unclear whether those testers were using the ideal light seal and strap sizes though, and this week Apple announced an alternative head strap with a top strap will be included in the Vision Pro box, potentially to mitigate comfort issues.
Apple Vision Pro preorders open at exactly 5am PT on January 19, next Friday. Just make sure you have your iPhone or iPad Pro ready at hand if you want to secure one online.
