The new Apple Vision Pro, Apple’s highly anticipated foray into wearable computers, faces significant expectations. Priced at $3,499, it introduces “spatial computing,” aiming to seamlessly integrate apps into your surroundings. Apple’s bold advertisements depict people wearing the Vision Pro in various daily scenarios, emphasizing the ambitious goal of augmenting reality by layering apps and information over the real world.

Pros:

• Impressive display, a technical marvel, offering the best video passthrough to date.
• Noteworthy advancements in hand and eye tracking technology.
• Seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem.
• Enjoyable experience placing windows throughout space.

Cons:

• Come with a hefty price tag.
• Video passthrough may still be blurry.
• Inconsistent and occasionally frustrating hand and eye tracking.
• Personas can be uncanny and somewhat unsettling.
• Can feel isolated or lonely during use.

Apple’s Vision Pro marks the tech giant’s inaugural venture into constructing a computer that seamlessly integrates into your surroundings. The aim is to position the Vision Pro as a comprehensive device, coexisting with Macs and iPads in Apple’s ecosystem, enabling users to accomplish meaningful tasks. From handling productivity tools like Excel, Webex, and Slack to leisure activities such as watching movies on a virtual 4K HDR display, the Vision Pro offers a versatile experience. Additionally, users can mirror their Mac’s display, utilizing the Vision Pro as a vast monitor suspended in virtual space.

While the Vision Pro boasts impressive features, it comes with significant tradeoffs that cannot be overlooked. Tangibly, the headset’s tech contributes to considerable weight on the face, leading Apple to opt for an external battery pack connected by a cable. Beyond physical aspects, there are also philosophical tradeoffs inherent in the design and functionality of the device.

Hardware

Apple positions the Vision Pro as more than just a VR headset, blending virtual and real-world experiences. Its compact design, crafted from magnesium, carbon fiber, and aluminum, defies expectations of bulkier VR headsets. The front EyeSight display attempts real-world connection but falls short with a low-res OLED.

Under the cover glass, the Vision Pro boasts an array of cameras and sensors for video passthrough, hand tracking, and spatial awareness. Powered by an M2 processor, it incorporates a unique R1 spatial coprocessor and includes detachable headbands, magnetic light seals, and adjustable headbands.

The speakers deliver impressive spatial audio but tend to be leaky, prompting the need for headphones. Weighing between 600 and 650 grams, the Vision Pro’s front-loaded distribution may impact comfort during extended use. The external battery, while contributing to weight management, limits runtime to around two and a half hours.

Setup is simplified, utilizing motorized adjustments and familiar iOS processes. Despite its design excellence, the Vision Pro’s weight becomes noticeable during prolonged use, emphasizing the trade-off for its sleek appearance.

Apple showcases the Vision Pro’s displays as a remarkable technological leap, featuring MicroOLEDs with 23 million pixels at just 7.5 micrometers. Despite their excellence, the high cost and inherent tradeoffs highlight the challenges of implementing them in this device.

The headset prioritizes real-time video passthrough, blurring the line between VR and AR. Apple’s claimed 12ms latency and adept video processing deliver an impressive experience, even in challenging situations like working in front of a large window.

However, Apple acknowledges display effects, with spokesperson Jacqueline Roy detailing hardware and software efforts to minimize these issues. While the Vision Pro’s video passthrough is the most advanced in consumer devices, occasional quirks persist, challenging the perception of flawless visuals given the high price tag.

In essence, the Vision Pro’s display, while exceptional, serves as a reminder that screens can’t fully replicate the richness of reality, falling short in capturing the vibrant colors and intricacies found in the world around us.

Controls

Apple takes pride in the Vision Pro’s cutting-edge eye and hand tracking control system, surpassing other consumer systems. Operating as if your eyes are the mouse and your fingers are the button, you navigate the interface by looking at and tapping on desired elements.

Initially, using hand and eye tracking feels like a superpower, with external cameras effortlessly capturing hand movements within a generous zone. However, the novelty fades as the requirement to constantly look at what you want to control becomes distracting and, in some cases, hinders usability. Unlike traditional computers where input is independent of your gaze, the Vision Pro demands your attention, leading to moments of frustration, especially in activities that require sustained focus.

The Apple Vision Pro, priced at $3,499, marks Apple’s venture into “spatial computing,” aiming to integrate augmented reality into daily life. While the display impresses with stellar video passthrough and remarkable MicroOLED technology, weighing between 600 and 650 grams, it poses ergonomic challenges, and its external battery pack adds to the bulk. The headset’s visuals, despite advancements, suffer from common VR limitations such as motion blur and color gamut restrictions.

Controlled by a sophisticated eye and hand tracking system, the Vision Pro offers a unique interface, but the constant need to look at what you want to control becomes distracting, deviating from the independent input mechanisms of traditional computers. The eye tracking, while awe-inspiring initially, exhibits inconsistencies over time, hindering the overall user experience.

In essence, the Vision Pro presents an impressive step towards spatial computing but grapples with weight, display limitations, and occasional control challenges, prompting users to weigh the magic it offers against notable tradeoffs.

Complaining about a hand tracking system needing to see hands might seem silly, yet the Vision Pro’s limitations become evident. While Siri and dictation help navigate visionOS, the constant awareness of hands and the visual tracking system’s occasional failures make it a unique, sometimes frustrating, experience. The system, keen on capturing hand movements, can lead to amusing unintended inputs, showcasing both the system’s brilliance and its pitfalls. Achieving rock-solid reliability in the input system is crucial for a seamless computing experience in the Vision Pro.

Spatial cameras

Shooting photos with the Vision Pro yields low-quality 6.5-megapixel stills, and videos, though slightly better, suffer from noticeable compression and barrel distortion when viewed on non-Vision Pro devices. The impracticality of taking photos with the headset and the assumption that most users own iPhones with superior video capabilities make these features seem less significant. However, spatial videos shot on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and viewed in 3D on the Vision Pro offer a compelling, albeit solitary, experience, allowing users to relive memories in a bittersweet fashion.

VisionOS

The Vision Pro operates on visionOS, a customized version of iPadOS with optimizations for spatial computing. Leveraging iPadOS provides Apple with a robust app library from the start, although early controversies involve major developers like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube holding off on supporting the Vision Pro. While Safari on the device accommodates web-based experiences, WebXR support is inconsistent. Apple expresses commitment to contributing to WebXR but acknowledges the current variability. Notably, YouTube VR lacks support, with Apple citing a focus on delivering high-quality spatial media experiences. The Vision Pro’s app ecosystem and web compatibility remain evolving aspects.

VisionOS sets itself apart with a novel experience featuring free-floating windows for unlimited app openings and spatial arrangement. The multi-operating system support adds versatility, integrating native visionOS apps, iPad apps, and Mac connectivity. However, the personal nature of the spatial environment limits shared experiences. The intuitive gestures for window management lack centralized controls, making it more complex than typical iOS devices. Seamless Mac display sharing showcases the Vision Pro’s versatility, transforming it into a virtual Mac display.

While Vision Pro falls short in true AR interaction, subtle features like the “connect display” button and a text preview window during Bluetooth keyboard use offer a glimpse into AR possibilities. In mixed reality scenarios, particularly in entertainment, Vision Pro excels. Immersive movie experiences, 3D content, and Apple’s library of 3D movies enhance the viewing experience. Yet, the device’s weight and DRM limitations pose challenges during screen captures.

Gaming on the Vision Pro lacks popular VR titles and fitness apps, highlighting a gap compared to competitors like Quest. Concerns about the device’s weight and design arise, impacting its suitability for physical gaming experiences. While developers work on porting more games, the absence of established titles like Beat Saber points to a current limitation. A cautionary note emphasizes the need for users to adapt gradually to VR motion, acknowledging potential motion sickness.

Despite its impressive features, the Vision Pro’s hefty price and specific limitations raise questions about its broader market appeal, especially compared to dedicated VR platforms. While its transformation into a virtual Mac display showcases versatility, considerations about weight, gaming ecosystem, and adapting to VR motion suggest a niche audience for this mixed reality device.

The Vision Pro is a testament to Apple’s engineering prowess, showcasing a stunning display, sophisticated passthrough technology, and seamless integration within the ecosystem. However, it may unintentionally reveal that certain core ideas, like camera-based mixed reality passthrough or advanced hand- and eye-tracking, could be dead ends, facing challenges for mainstream adoption. Despite its magical moments, the device’s complex technology might be ahead of its time.

Alternatively, the Vision Pro could serve as a precursor to Apple’s envisioned true AR glasses, acting as a simulator or developer kit. This perspective suggests the current device is a stepping stone for app and use case development, preparing the ground for future optical AR glasses capable of shared digital experiences. However, these scenarios come with significant tradeoffs, emphasizing the inherent loneliness of the Vision Pro experience. Tim Cook’s acknowledgment of headsets being isolating rings true, posing challenges for a device aiming to be a primary computing tool. Despite its impressive features, the Vision Pro raises questions about its role in collaborative workspaces and everyday computing.