Apple announced its Vision Pro headset to much fanfare last June, set to launch as soon as next month. It's the first entirely new category of product we've seen from Apple since 2015's original Apple Watch – and a new Apple product means new (and probably not cheap) Apple accessories.
The shape of Vision Pro is a little more complicated than the rectangular slabs that are the iPhone and iPad, so while we can reasonably expect various straps (like the Watch), it's less clear what to expect in terms of cases. But a newly unearthed patent may have just revealed exactly how Apple is planning for us to protect Vision Pro.
As spotted by Patently Apple, new filing reveal what the company catchily calls a 'Cover for head-mounted display'. And rather than a case for the entire unit including strap, it looks to be a simple fabric cover designed to sit over the front of the headset. (Let's just hope it isn't made of Apple's notorious new FineWoven material.)
One thing the cover does seem to resemble is the charging cover for Apple's AirPods Max, released in 2020. And plenty of social media users have noted that, like said accessory, the Vision Pro cover could be said to be reminiscent of a certain piece of underwear. "Why does Apple keep making bras?!" One MacRumors forum user asks.
Indeed, it's fair to say the design aspect of Vision Pro has proven to be meme fodder over the last few months, with everything from the front 'googly eyes' screen to the virtual keyboard getting roasted. But then again, AirPods got widely mocked when announced in 2016, so there's every chance Vision Pro could become ubiquitous in a couple of years' time.