Apple announced on Monday that it will release the highly anticipated Vision Pro mixed reality headset in the United States on February 2. This is Apple's first major release since the Apple Watch in 2015.

Vision Pro was announced in June with a pre-tax price of $3,499, more than double the price of Meta's flagship Quest Pro headset.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said, "The era of spatial computing has arrived," and described Vision Pro as "the most advanced consumer electronics device ever."

The helmet has been developed by Apple for many years and is seen as a product that will give Meta the boost it needs to drive growth in this field.

Although Meta is a leader in this emerging field, its progress in the so-called metaverse has been slow, and many have doubted whether Apple will eventually enter this field.

Apple said the headset can be used in the workplace for streaming entertainment and gaming.