A new Apple product means one thing: accessories. Despite the fact that Apple’s Vision Pro headset isn’t coming out until early next year, we’re already seeing third-party accessories for tricking it out.
The first batch comes from iPhone case maker BandWerk, who announced five luxury leather headbands for the upcoming headset. As if the $3,500 base price of the Vision Pro wasn’t enough, you’ll need another $160 for one of BandWerk’s headbands — though, I suppose that’s a minor cost considering how much the headset is on its own.
The company will offer five color options near the time the Vision Pro releases in early 2024: gray, cream, beige, orange, and brown. As it stands now, the headbands are only a concept, so BandWerk could make slight alterations before the Vision Pro goes on sale.
BandWerk says the headbands are made of Italian leather and made in Germany, and each one comes with a color-matching fabric light seal. It’s not a full band. Instead, it replaces the cloth areas of the Vision Pro around the back of the headset and near the front of the display.
As it stands now, Apple hasn’t said if it will offer multiple color options or accessories for the Vision Pro — though, if the company’s track record with devices like the Apple Watch is anything to go by, there’s a good chance we’ll see plenty of first-party accessories, too.
Although the Vision Pro looks and sounds like a typical AR headset, Apple is pitching it as something much greater: an all-new computing platform. Designed around eye and gesture inputs instead of controllers, the Vision Pro definitely has the potential to overcome the hurdles associated with devices like the Meta Quest Pro — assuming you can afford its $3,500 base price.
The device seems worth that price — we did the math to find out — but it’s still a very expensive product that only a select few will be able to afford. Accessories brands will no doubt be waiting to capitalize on the few that can afford it, though. BandWerk is the first out of the gate with a concept, but I suspect we’ll see plenty of custom headbands, battery covers, and chargers as the device gets closer to release.
