The Apple Vision Pro: Useful Mixed/Augmented Reality (MR/AR) Headset for Archaeology or Not Quite There Yet?

Overview Digital eXtended Reality technologies enable users to view and interact with spaces and objects in three dimensions (3D), thus supporting a variety of potential innovative embodied applications in archaeology. Here, we review the Apple Vision Pro as a Mixed/Augmented Reality (MR/AR) headset to determine where it might fit within current archaeological practice. Our interest in this device spans primary field data collection, in situ visual–spatial interpretation, and public education and tourism. Overall, we find that although it makes certain advances on prior eXtended Reality hardware, it does not yet represent a significant enough shift forward to have a major impact on archaeology. However, we do plan to continue our field experiments with this technology to push its limits and to prepare for future improvements to this product and its competitors.