The Vision Pro might hit stores in February, at least in the US, where Apple will launch the spatial computer first. As an international buyer, I have little hope of getting my hands on the Vision Pro next year, unless Apple plans to extend sales to Europe soon. The silver lining is that I’ll get all the answers to my burning questions about the Vision Pro before I can buy it.
Thankfully, I don’t have to wait long. Newly uncovered Apple patents contain revealing imagery about the device. One image indicates that Apple will release accessories to protect the enclosure. I’ll definitely need a case while transporting the Vision Pro.
Secondly, a different set of images seems to confirm that the cable of the external battery pack can be removed. We’ve always suspected this. The implication here is that you’ll be able to swap out batteries when using the device for more than two hours.
Protective case for Vision Pro
Apple won 70 design patents for the Vision Pro, according to Patently Apple. That’s why these patent filings contain so many revealing images. It’s not what you’d expect from a standard patent, which would include more generic images.
One of these patents contains the images below, as shared by MacRumors:
They seem to show a fabric protector for the Vision Pro enclosure. As a reminder, Apple describes the enclosure as a “singular piece of three-dimensionally formed laminated glass [that] flows into an aluminum alloy frame that curves to wrap around your face.”
I see it as a singular piece of glass that I don’t want to break. I don’t want to damage it when transporting it. And I don’t want to drop it. Glass durability is a big stress factor for this longtime iPhone buyer. I worry even more about the Vision Pro’s enclosure.
It’s likely that accessory makers will sell similar products. But you should find this sort of protection for the enclosure from Apple first.
Vision Pro battery ports
The second image that piqued my interest shows what looks like an external battery pack that features two USB-C ports. Patently Apple speculates this is a MagSafe design to fit the USB-C port. But the battery looks a lot like the Vision Pro battery pack.
One of the two ports is recessed, as MacRumors observes. The blog says this might be the Vision Pro battery pack, and I tend to agree. It looks an awful lot like the Vision Pro battery pack photos we saw after WWDC 2023.
If our assumptions are correct, Vision Pro users might be able to yank the cable out when the battery is depleted and switch to a different pack.
As a reminder, Apple claims the Vision Pro battery can last up to two hours. That’s not great, and it means some buyers will need to purchase additional battery packs, assuming they don’t want to stay plugged into the wall all the time.
