I don’t think about them at all to be honest. Total disinterest.
They’re a $4000 dev kit that the public can also buy.
A really, really cool solution for problem nobody has.
Meh.
It’s not designed for or good for VR gaming. As an AR device, I find it a bit silly since I can just look at a real screen. It would be a novelty at $100, but at the price Apple wants I kind of think of it like a joke.
For an everyday user I think it’s very far away. The device is very much geared towards developers and establishing Apple’s footing in the AR/VR space (despite Apple’s marketing efforts).
But have you tried using it? The resolution and crispness of the video content designed for it (there isn’t much of it available right now of course) is jaw-dropping. You legitimately feel like you are transported into a different world. The quality of visuals produced by this headset are so far beyond any VR device I’ve tried (and I’ve tried them all).
If it gets to the point where you can watch live sporting events with this and there’s more immersive video content created for it on a regular basis, it will be highly compelling.
I understand the knee-jerk reaction to say “Meh”. It’s still a VR headset. It’s uncomfortable to wear, etc. But I’d suggest holding back those feelings until you try it on
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In one of the demos for the Vison Pro, they had cameras set up right behind the net of a soccer game, on the courtside of a basketball game, and on the field of a baseball game. You can’t get that kind of special experience from regular TV footage. The only alternative to it would be to physically go to the game and spend thousands on tickets.
But I agree with you and you’re obviously not wrong. A big TV has far more advantages in practical use.
I was interested in VR for a very long time. Recently, I got to actually try it out.
I primarily view Apple Vision Pro as a proof of concept type of device. Sales being limited both in quantity and territorially indicate that. It has brought 3 major improvements to the table, compared to other headsets:
- Quality of passthrough
- User interface
- Display quality
When you think about it, however, it’s not that much to make it an obvious choice over other devices.
Passthough is needed for navigating through space. It does not help with productivity as your vision would be focused on the interface and not the environment. Remember warping on Quest 3? Much less noticeable than on videos for the exact same reason.
There is no buts with the user interface and display. They are simply great, best that there is.
Now, for the part that makes Vision Pro from a great productivity device on paper into a “dev kit available to masses” (I like that description, it does feel that way a lot, ty Ghostalmedia)
Eye strain is a major issue. It is very difficult to use the device for more than a couple of hours without getting tired. This goes for all of the VR headsets out there. I guess you can get used to it over time, though.
Limited usability. Quest 2/3, Pico 4, Valve Index, they all do things you wish Vision Pro could. Primarily usage of physical controllers. Imagine sculpturing without controllers because I can’t. Hand tracking is just not up to par.
Battery solution is another issue. Not being able to swap what is otherwise a Power Bank without disabling the device and being unable to use any other battery than Apple’s own is at the very least annoying. Not exactly an issue if you’re too tired by the time it runs out.
Finally, the VR space itself is unfortunately not mature enough. There’s a lot of work still to be done. Even when talking games, despite some amazing titles like Half-life Alyx, the vast majority where controls wouldn’t make you dizzy are all pretty much like arcade mini-games, where you either teleport from point to point or not move at all. Developers simply have yet to figure out an organic way of user navigating through virtual space. (Doesn’t mean they aren’t fun, though)
Overall, I believe Vision Pro isn’t really a mass consumer product, but it did do a lot by bringing more attention to VR as a whole, as well as pointing out additional user-cases for the technology. Because of Vision Pro, Meta started paying more attention to details, which ultimately will benefit the consumer (in fact, it already has yeilded results).
Same problem any other consumer VR headset has. They’re solutions without a problem. Just build it and the apps will magically appear. Maybe some more will appear for Apple because they can throw some resources at it, but VR as a tool is clunky with things like wrist-mounted toolsets vs the speed of keyboard hotkeys or shortcuts for activating or switching between common functions. For consuming media and games they can be great, but it’s trapped in the limbo of not enough people have HMD to spend development money on apps and games, and there aren’t enough apps and games to attract enough people.
I will be waiting for the full dive version of VR because I don’t want to look like an idiot in real life😂
Might be reality in the next 5-10 years.
They identify people in public that should probably be robbed. So they’re useful for that I suppose.
I have yet to try it myself, but in principle I think it’s a bit of a solution in search of a problem.
The tech is impressive, but I can’t shake the feeling that they focussed too hard on the wrong things. It’s not as good for VR gaming as other headsets, and imo an AR/MR device needs to be extremely lightweight, so you can wear it comfortably for at least a few hours. That leaves maybe movies I guess, but even for those some cheaper headsets are usually more than good enough.
So what exactly is the selling point for this thing? Who and what is it for?! Seems to me like it’s more of a research device than anything else, to get the ball rolling for more in the future.
The only scenario that I could see using one is as a computer on a long flight, particularly if you don’t want people looking over your shoulders or need a “huge” screen. If I commuted a lot and had to work on the road, I’d consider it.
The immersive media experience is the killer feature right now. The whole browsing websites and pinning work stuff up in space is a novelty that will wear off. Predict everyone will go back to using their physical multi-monitor setups.
3D videos, apps, and games that take advantage of immersion will push the envelope.
No desire honestly. It’s cool I guess…🤷
Let me amend the question: Why do people think of Apple’s headset?
I would get it if it was FOSS - in fact I’m working on a FOSS AR web based OS myself. But I wouldn’t voluntarily touch any Apple products with a 3m stick.
I’d really love to have one, but that $3500 is going to have a bigger impact on my life if it stays in my bank account. I might eventually get a quest 3 to live the fantasy a little, though, if they borrow some of Apple’s tricks in a future OS update.
I think they are ridiculous… They may bring $500 worth of enhancement or productivity for people under special circumstances…
Very definitely not worth the ridiculous price tag
