After much anticipation, the internet and social media are now flooded with images and videos of the first enthusiastic users of Apple Vision Pro, Apple’s debut virtual headset. Users are capturing scenes on the street, in cars, and even on airplanes with this new device.
Is this really groundbreaking hardware, or is it just a well-executed marketing strategy?
With over seven years of experience in the field of virtual and augmented reality, I remain curious about new technologies, yet I strive to maintain a critical perspective, evaluating them based on their practical benefits and effectiveness.
According to Apple, the main mission of Apple Vision Pro is to provide a highly personalized experience for productivity, virtual meetings, and entertainment, surpassing the limitations of traditional flat screens.
However, for European users, the first hurdle is the requirement of a U.S. Apple ID to access apps from the App Store, along with the need for a VPN to „mask“ their non-U.S. location. But with some effort, this can be managed.
When ordering, users must scan their heads to choose the correct size and accessories, ensuring a perfect fit. However, this approach has its downside when multiple people with different face shapes use the headset. I experienced this firsthand during testing. With the wrong size, light leaks around the face mask. Then there’s the setup. Every time a new person wants to use the headset, they have to recalibrate the hand and eye tracking, which can take 5 to 10 minutes depending on the user’s skill level. This can be inconvenient when the hardware is shared among multiple users.
Apple Vision Pro excels in design and material quality, typical of Apple products, but this also results in a higher weight compared to competitors like the Meta Quest 3. I personally expected Apple to find a more elegant solution for weight distribution, not to mention the need to carry an external battery in your pocket. Despite its size and weight, it only lasts about two hours on a charge.
One aspect that definitely stands out is the high-resolution displays and minimal distortion or lag in passthrough, providing a truly impressive visual experience. The control of activities using eye tracking combined with the typical „pinch“ gesture for confirmation is also noteworthy. Thanks to the numerous cameras, you don’t even need to stretch your hand in front of the headset for this gesture.
During a brief test, there wasn’t much opportunity to try many AR or VR applications, but it’s clear that the glasses currently offer limited interaction with inserted 3D models. Most of the time, you can only enlarge, rotate, or, in many cases, you can’t even change their position in space. Maximum immersion can currently only be achieved by running a 360° photo, which sets the background for your environment, or by using 360° video. You won’t experience traditional virtual reality with interactions here. At this point, it’s hard to say whether this is a strategic decision or simply a current limitation or lack of applications. The hardware’s capabilities are also still limited for developers.
Personally, I see interesting potential in the Apple Vision Pro, despite some limitations and shortcomings. Apple always has ambitious plans and never does anything without deeper intent. Releasing Apple Vision Pro in a limited market (the U.S.) with a limited number of applications and features is likely a well-thought-out strategic move. Convincing hundreds of thousands of people to buy a still-imperfect product and pay thousands of dollars for it is a marketing masterstroke.
From my perspective, it doesn’t make much sense to use Apple Vision Pro for corporate purposes at this time, unless you plan to purchase one for each employee, primarily for personal productivity (though I can’t quite imagine working with it for hours on end).
If you’re looking for suitable hardware for team collaboration or training in virtual or augmented reality, it’s still worth considering other brands for now.
