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Apple Vision Pro is one of Apple’s most exciting new products. This is his first new product line for Apple since the Apple Watch, but the hype surrounding this product is similar to when Apple first introduced the original iPhone. Of course, Apple is not the first to bring his VR/AR headset to the market, but considering the brand name, there is no doubt that this is the most “mainstream” option.
June 5, 2023 I was excited when Apple announced Apple Vision Pro during the WWDC 2023 keynote. After years of rumors, it’s finally happened. In the US, pre-orders began on January 19, 2024, and Apple Vision Pro was released on February 2, 2024. It costs at least $3,500, making it a hard sell for many as a first-generation Apple product.
I needed to try this out for myself before I thought about putting any money into it now or in the future. Last week, he booked two demos at a nearby Apple Store. The situation is as follows.
Demo booking and setup process
If you’re lucky enough to live near an Apple Store, I highly recommend scheduling a demo and trying it out for yourself. You can check available times near you on Apple’s website.
I live in Southern California, so I have several nearby Apple Stores to choose from, and I was honestly surprised at how many same-day or 1-2 day availability there were. This depends on where you live, but it’s worth seeing if you can do a walk-up demo as well. My Apple Store wasn’t very busy, but an employee in the check-in line was asking if anyone wanted to try Apple Vision Pro.
When I arrived at the Apple Store and checked in, there were a few things I had to do to prepare my Apple Vision Pro demo. Since I wear prescription glasses, they had to borrow my glasses and scan them with the Lensmeter machine. Optometrists and ophthalmologists also use this machine to check prescription glasses. This process takes a few minutes, and once the prescription information is obtained, the Zeiss optical lens insert is ready for demonstration. If you use prism lenses, unfortunately they will not work with Zeiss optical inserts.
Once that was done, they brought out my Apple Vision Pro demo machine. We showed you how to wear Apple Vision Pro, adjust the fit of the Solo Knit Band, and locate the Digital Crown and buttons for taking spatial photos and videos. Apple Store employees also showed us the gesture. You can look at something and tap your index finger and thumb together to select it, swipe left or right to scroll, and even use text to zoom in and out. A pulling motion with both hands.
Once I placed it on my face and adjusted the fit, the fun began. I run the eye-tracking setup at three different brightness levels, and oddly enough I had some issues with my first demo and had to repeat the process about three times before it worked. I had no idea why it was having problems, but it worked after the first try, so the second demo went much smoother.
Apple Vision Pro demo experience
My first demo basically gave a guided tour of what you can do with spatial computing in Apple Vision Pro. Employees told us what to do, from what to choose, how to act, to what to focus on.
It was interesting to experience spatial photography and video. Some were shot with his iPhone 15 Pro Max, others using an Apple Vision Pro. Photos captured with the iPhone looked like regular photos and videos, with more depth and immersion. But what I shot with Apple Vision Pro looked different, with multiple layers and dimensions that felt like they were all held together. It’s definitely something you need to see and understand for yourself. But I like the immersive aspects of these. Reliving moments with loved ones, especially if they have passed away, is something that can be recreated with this device.
They also showed me panoramic photos, and I was finally able to see an example of how panoramic photography is actually used. Viewing panoramas on my iPhone’s small screen never made sense to me, but Apple Vision Pro lets you immerse yourself in them and still feel like you’re reliving the moment. The immersion breaks a bit when you turn your head far enough over the edge to see a black abyss, but otherwise it feels like the panorama was designed for this headset.
Next, we showed you how to move and resize app windows. It’s a very basic thing to do on a computer, but it may take a few tries before you get it working properly on Apple Vision Pro. This is the main reason I like using Apple Vision Pro for work. It’s like having multiple monitors in front of you, but you can move them around and make them bigger or smaller depending on your needs. We also showed you how web pages look in Safari, with crystal clear, sharp, and incredibly crisp images and text.
Unfortunately, the virtual keyboard did not appear in the demo, which was disappointing. This is one of the things that interests me most about Apple Vision Pro, and I don’t think I’m alone.
I also checked the environment features for both demos. This is basically an immersive wallpaper. Turn the Digital Crown to adjust transparency or make it completely opaque. I thought some of these looked more impressive than others, but you could turn your head in all directions to see the environment. There was no black void to break the immersion. If you don’t like the environment, there are also settings to adjust the lighting tone, so you can make the lights cooler or warmer, or even mimic a sunrise.
Once I turned on the environment, the passthrough feature worked fine. The people around me in the Apple Store loomed through the environment like a mist.
The first demo showed an immersive video from Apple featuring a variety of 180-degree 3D 8K video clips. This was very impressive as it felt like I was actually inside the setting from the beginning. The first clip showed a woman singing in front of me with a pianist by her side, and the whole scene looked very real. There were also nature scenes and sports. If I’m interested in sports, being able to experience the game from a courtside view would be very appealing.
The second demo asked me to watch a movie clip, so I could watch the following short scene: Avatar: Water Path. When I adjusted the video player window to be larger, the scenes really popped out, making me feel like I had a theater-sized screen in front of me. For example, you will find this very useful when traveling by plane.
Now, what I like most about the demo is that you get to experience the dinosaur clips. It starts with a butterfly fluttering its wings, and eventually you reach out and see if it lands on your finger, just like we heard when the first hands-on demo took place after his WWDC last year. To my surprise, the butterfly did! Then it takes off again and a small lizard is seen crawling on a rocky surface, before a bird of prey darts into the scene. They look around and try to smell you before looking at you. I put my hand out to her again to see if she would respond (I even tried petting her), but she didn’t seem to respond. Another bird of prey came in and the two got into a scuffle, when I saw them almost fall onto me and almost jump on me.
And before you know it, you’ll be told that your time is up and the demo is over.
Will Apple Vision Pro replace my iPhone?
Honestly, I’m very impressed with the technology behind Apple Vision Pro. But it doesn’t replace my boyfriend’s iPhone 15 Pro, at least for now. One of the biggest reasons is, of course, the price. It costs at least $3,500, and requires a prescription insert, which adds another $149 (the accessories are also prohibitively expensive). The overall cost of purchasing Apple Vision Pro is much higher than simply purchasing a new iPhone.
But it’s not just the price.The straps are comfortable and easy to adjust, there’s no denying that — the Apple Vision Pro heavy. Even when I applied it properly to my face, it felt heavy, and it felt like my face was constantly being pressed down by a light seal. I am not sure if I will wear this for long as it left a small mark on my face after just 25 minutes.
I also use my iPhone almost all the time, especially in public. I would never wear this outside the house and honestly, neither should anyone else. It seems stupid. Until Apple makes the Vision Pro the size of glasses rather than giant goggles, it won’t replace my iPhone in public.
The only scenario where you can actually see Apple Vision Pro replacing your iPhone is when you’re on a plane. With Vision Pro, you’ll have endless space to work instead of a cramped little tray in front of you, making your movie-watching experience even more enjoyable. I think it’s worth making fun of.
Still, while it was fun to experiment with headsets until they were lighter, less bulky, and a little more affordable, I’m still going to stick with my iPhone. It may take Apple at least four generations to reach that point, so I’ll probably be watching its progress from the sidelines until then.
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