By now, even the most casual follower of tech news will have heard of Apple Vision Pro.

Like many XR headsets, it's a wearable computer that can conjure up inspiring new worlds – right there in your living room. But despite these capabilities, Apple's marketing seems more geared towards presenting it as a successor to the iPhone.

Yes, Apple pitched the Pro as a "revolutionary spatial computer" – a statement that, on the surface, distinguishes it from other Apple products. It claims that the Pro "seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world", which could be a dictionary definition of augmented reality.

But terms like XR, AR and VR aren't used in Apple's press releases. Instead, the emphasis is on taking existing Apple apps and functions to the next level.

We're not claiming that the Vision Pro and iPhone are the same. Rather, in some ways the Pro is closer to the iPhone than to other XR headsets.

There are obvious differences between the two. One is a rectangular slab that you rub, the other is a wearable computer that you control with eye tracking and gestures.

The iPhone display is physical. The Vision Pro display is projected into your eyes via two tiny, hi-res displays.

But despite their differences, the Vision Pro is being pitched as a boutique version of the iPhone. Getting one is like buying a film on 4K Blu-Ray rather than streaming it, or booking a seat in business class.

This is unusual for Apple. Historically, it's pitched each new product as unique. The Apple Watch, for instance, wasn't primarily marketed as a phone on your wrist, but rather as a way of monitoring your health.

Even the iPad, which overlaps in many ways with both the Mac and the iPhone, was introduced as a third device that sits between them – and that does some things better than either.

Compare Apple CEO Tim Cook's description of the Vision Pro: "It'll do anything your Mac or iPhone can do – and more".

So what, exactly, can it do?

What the Vision Pro can do

Apple's press release boasts of "infinite screen real estate". What this means in practice is that it has a huge display – but one that doesn't take up physical space in a room.

You could sit on the loo and watch a cinema-sized film. Rather than having your apps in a row on your iPhone screen, you can arrange and rearrange them on a wide 3D interface.

iPhone apps like FaceTime and Photos are enhanced. In a FaceTime call, for instance, each participant has a life-sized tile – and the device's spatial audio means that it sounds as though everyone is speaking right from where they're positioned in the virtual space.

Your pictures and videos can now be made life-size, presented with cinematic detail. You can immerse yourself in visual memories of parties, gatherings and other life events.

From one point of view, this is the iPhone on steroids. But there are a couple of big differences.

How Vision Pro isn't like the iPhone

Vision Pro has XR functionality. You can experience virtual worlds, altering your immersion level with a twist of the "digital crown". This is clearly something more than a spatial version of existing iPhone apps.

Its display is fully three-dimensional and controlled by eyes, hands and voice. It can present 3D objects as though they're in the room with you.

It's also not very portable. In theory, you can wear a Vision Pro out and about – and there are doubtless some people who will. But it seems to be angled more at home entertainment and immersive workspaces rather than as a portable phone-like device.

Rumours have it that Apple is already working on a cheaper version which will be aimed at the general public – not just the tech elite who can afford the current $7,000 price tag.

This could be released as early as 2025. It could be that this will be a more portable version of Vision Pro as well as a more affordable one.

For now, however, portability isn't the Vision Pro's strong suit. Immersive home cinema? Yes. Life-sized video calls? Sure! But ringing your other half to see if you need to buy anything for dinner? Probably not.

It's big. And it's conspicuous. No matter how dazzling its functionality, it'll probably be a while before you feel comfortable sitting in a restaurant and seeing someone at a neighbouring table, immersed in their Vision Pro.

So a crucial difference from the iPhone is that Vision Pro seems best suited for controlled environments – work collaboration in the office, immersive content at home. Despite its XR functionality, it's not primarily an XR experience.

Will Vision Pro replace the iPhone?

It's too soon to say – but when the CEO of Apple tells you it can do everything your Mac and iPhone can do, and more, it seems as though it's being pitched as a successor, if not a replacement.

Wearable computers are making waves in both entertainment and industry. They facilitate remote training, assistance and collaboration in the workplace and provide unique viewing and gaming experiences at home.

But despite their advantages, they're still not a part of our daily digital landscape in the way that iPhones are.

Perhaps the mass-marketed Vision Pro will make spatial computers an everyday sight. Or perhaps it will remain a niche product for people with a passion for tech – and the money to buy it.

Either way, Vision Pro is an industry-leading piece of technology that takes its place in the ever-expanding ecosystem of XR-enhanced hardware and software.

This ecosystem is transforming how we do business. Will Vision Pro transform how we communicate with friends, access apps and consume media? It's too soon to say – but we'll keep you in the loop.

Expand Reality is a specialist retailer of industrial XR devices, including the RealWear HMT-1Z1 and Magic Leap 2. Visit our online store to find out more.