Apple Vision Pro Reactions: Game Changer or Pricey Novelty?
Hyperbole aside, what’s the general consensus on Apple Pro Vision – is it the next big thing or an elitist, novelty product for the rich and famous? Let’s find out by looking at the initial Apple Vision Pro reactions…
Apple Vision Pro: KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The Apple Vision Pro is praised for its bright and bold interface, realistic interactions with other windows, and its ability to react to lighting conditions.
- The headset is considered to be well-designed and represents an ideal XR (Extended Reality) headset.
- However, there are still uncertainties and unanswered questions regarding the practicality and social aspects of using the Vision Pro, such as watching movies with others and collaborating with people in the same room.
- Apple is expected to refine the headset further before its release and is seeking feedback from developers to shape its capabilities and potential applications.
- The Vision Pro is regarded as a powerful device with great potential, but its high price of $3,500 makes it inaccessible to most consumers.
- The headset is anticipated to serve as a glimpse into what future Apple VR/AR devices might offer, rather than being a feasible option for general consumers.
- The Vision Pro is highly praised for its intuitive interface, eye and hand tracking, and its potential to revolutionize the way we engage with memories through spatial photos and videos.
- Some concerns are raised about the EyeSight display feature and the pricing of the headset, which could limit its adoption unless Apple can provide more opportunities for people to experience it firsthand.
Apple Vision Pro is here and, lord oh lord, is it expensive. The spatial computer headset will go on sale in Q1 2024 and Apple is charging $3499 for it, making it one of the most expensive consumer tech products ever launched.
The Apple Vision Pro is an extremely impressive piece of kit. Apple no doubt buried hundreds of millions in its R&D and, as most of now know, high R&D costs mean massive retail prices, as Apple has to recoup that cost somewhere along the line.
As for use cases, the Apple Vision Pro has plenty of features. For a brand new product that is essentially unique in its positioning, Apple has ensured that there are more than enough features and capabilities in place for early adopters.
After watching the launch, I have to admit I was seriously impressed by the level of thought and overall latent utility of Apple Vision Pro. It isn’t just a headset for gaming and watching movies, it’s more like a new kind of computing experience (hence Apple’s use of the phrase “spatial computing”).
And the Vision Pro’s specs and resolution are very, very impressive.
But will it catch on? Is Apple Vision Pro the company’s next big product? Will it be as successful as its last major product launch, the Apple Watch? Let’s take a look at some initial reactions to Apple Vision Pro from some of the best technology sites and experts on the web to find out…
Apple Vision Pro Reactions
TECH CRUNCH
The interface is bright and bold and feels present because of the way it interacts with other windows, casts shadows on the ground and reacts to lighting conditions.
Overall, I’m hesitant to make any broad claims about whether Apple Vision Pro is going to fulfill Apple’s claims about the onset of spatial computing. I’ve had far too little time with it and it’s not even completed — Apple is still working on things like the light shroud and definitely on many software aspects.
It is, however, really, really well done. The platonic ideal of an XR headset. Now, we wait to see what developers and Apple accomplish over the next few months and how the public reacts.
The Verge
I do know that wearing this thing felt oddly lonely. How do you watch a movie with other people in a Vision Pro? What if you want to collaborate with people in the room with you and people on FaceTime? What does it mean that Apple wants you to wear a headset at your child’s birthday party? There are just more questions than answers here, and some of those questions get at the very nature of what it means for our lives to be literally mediated by screens.
I also know that Apple still has a long list of things it wants to refine between now and next year when the Vision Pro ships. That’s part of the reason it’s being announced at WWDC: to let developers react to it, figure out what kinds of apps they might build, and get started on them. But that’s the same promise we’ve been hearing about VR headsets for years now, from Meta and others.
Tom’s Guide
I’m excited by but also worried about the Apple Vision Pro. This headset looks extremely powerful, and it’s important to keep in mind that this is a version 1.0 product. We haven’t even seen what developers can do with this device yet.
However, $3,500 is a very expensive price even for a taste of the future of computing, so most people will skip this headset and wait for a more affordable model. I will update my own impressions as soon as I have a chance to try the Vision Pro.
PC MAG
I’m excited to try out the Apple Vision Pro, and I think its combination of features, processing power, and Apple’s general design philosophy could make it an incredible headset. But it’ll largely serve as a sneak peek at what Apple will put out down the line. Until we get a standard Apple Vision, hold the Pro, this won’t be a headset for any consumer to realistically consider buying.
Tech Radar
Apple has built the first lust-worthy VR headset. It’s beautiful to look at and gets most of the key VR and AR experiences right. Even now, months from release, it’s already the most intuitive VR interface not yet on the market. The eye and hand tracking are already excellent. I think spatial photos and, especially video, may change how we engage in memories,
There are some issues and hurdles.
The EyeSight display that can show you someone’s virtual eyes is probably a mistake, as may be the weird 3D Persona avatars. It’s also, at $3,499, wildly expensive, and could be more so if you need to buy Zeiss lens inserts (maybe one set for each family member). Apple may struggle to justify that expense unless it can get a whole lot more people to experience it. It’s quite possible that by this time next year, there will be dozens of Apple Vision Pro headsets available at Apple Stores around the world for hands-on experiences.
Apple Vision Pro Analysis – Pros & Caveats…
From the rumor mills to the tech circles, the buzz about Apple’s Vision Pro headset is inescapable. This whiz-bang piece of kit has left tech enthusiasts at the edge of their seats, even though they’re also scratching their heads in parts.
Straight off the bat, this XR headset leaves no stone unturned when it comes to design, boasting an interactive, bold interface that sets new standards for device interaction. It’s not just about looks, though – this headset can sync flawlessly with multiple windows, and responds like a dream to different lighting conditions. All these aspects have won it some pretty hefty applause, consolidating its position as a potential kingpin in the XR headset arena.
That said, the Vision Pro’s concept-car allure doesn’t wash away the genuine question marks hovering over its real-world practicality. There’s a growing unease around how the headset would play out in social scenarios – say, a movie night with friends or a collab session at work. It’s not clear yet how the device would handle shared experiences and juggle between virtual and physical interactions.
Apple has put its Vision Pro out in the world as a work-in-progress masterpiece, with constant tweaks being made on elements such as the light shroud and the software ingredients. By premiering the headset at the WWDC, Apple has cleverly aimed at roping in developers and harvesting their valuable feedback to help shape its future avatar.
A major point of contention, however, is the wallet-busting $3,500 price tag. It severely curtails the gadget’s reach to the average Joe and Jane, forcing them to wait on the sidelines until a more wallet-friendly model makes its debut. The challenge for Apple is to make the price pill easier to swallow by arranging more hands-on experiences and showcasing the device’s undeniable merits.
Despite these hurdles, there’s no denying that the Vision Pro has stirred up a whirlwind of interest for what it brings to the table. Its user-friendly interface, combined with eye and hand tracking, and the potential to revolutionize our interaction with memories through spatial photos and videos, has received high-fives all around. However, there’s still a tad bit of skepticism about some of the features, namely the EyeSight display and 3D Persona avatars.
As a sum up, Apple’s Vision Pro stands tall as a tantalizing and artfully engineered headset, offering a crystal ball view into the future of VR/AR tech. While it’s swimming in positive reviews, the doubts regarding its practicality, sky-high price, and need for further polishing suggest that it’s more of a teaser of Apple’s future catalogue rather than a device that the average buyer can realistically consider bagging at this point.
