I’ve been covering Apple product launches for a long time, and I want to give the company one thing: Even after all these years, it can still surprise me – and I hope it does so again with the Apple Vision Pro.
In fact, I don’t want it to just surprise me; I want it to prove me wrong. Let me eat my words. Humiliate me (okay, this is getting a little weird).
Why? Because I think the Apple Vision Pro is an expensive folly that won’t appeal to people outside the Cupertino company’s most ardent fans. And I want to be wrong about that. Despite my reservations, I’d like to see Apple deliver on all its lofty promises about the headset, to truly change the way we interact with our devices and transform the market.
It’s happened before. When Steve Jobs showed off the first iPad in 2010, I thought, “This is it, Apple has lost the plot. Again.” I saw Apple’s visionary CEO waving what looked to me like an oversized iPod and decided then and there that we were about to enter the second Apple Dark Age.
Of course I was wrong. The iPad was a hit and proved to be so much more than a larger, less portable version of the iPod. While the iPod became irrelevant, the iPad remains a huge success, and for many people the product they think of when someone mentions (non-medical) tablets.
I now have an iPad and used it on holiday instead of taking my laptop with me. Apple proved me wrong, and I’m glad I did. I doubt tablets would be anywhere near as successful if the iPad didn’t exist and show the competition how it’s done.
Apple’s view… but not mine
My reaction to the unveiling of Apple Vision Pro last year was similar. What Apple showed certainly seemed to have impressive potential, but I couldn’t help but feel like I’d seen it all before. I’ve tried and owned several virtual reality headsets, and while I was initially impressed with the experience, they mostly just collected dust after a few sessions.
The immersion that VR provides wasn’t enough to offset the inconvenience of putting on and using a VR headset, some of which were heavy, uncomfortable and tethered to a PC by a cable. Closing yourself off from the outside world also did not appeal to people with family and pets.
Ultimately, many companies, such as Microsoft, HP and Dell, lost interest in VR headsets, taking their cue from unenthusiastic customers. The companies that still believe in VR – Meta, Valve and perhaps some others I’ve forgotten – are fighting for a market that remains resolutely niche.
So it was a surprise to see Apple announce a headset seemingly so late to the party. And while the company goes out of its way to explain that the Vision Pro is not With a VR headset, many of the problems that these headsets faced (awkward, uncomfortable, not really adding anything to our daily lives) still apply – hence my concern.
With a focus on how the Vision Pro can replace computers and help in different professions (and with a enormous price tag to match), it was also reminiscent of Microsoft’s Hololens headset. Again, impressive tech with lofty ambitions, but will you ever hear people talking about Hololens again? I don’t think even Microsoft is talking about it.
So if we ignore the high asking price, which puts it out of reach for most people, and the almost obligatory, overpriced accessories and add-ons that Apple also sells (a $199 travel caseAnd Zeiss optical inserts that start at $99 and essential for people who wear glasses, for example), the real obstacle I see to the Vision Pro becoming more than an extremely niche product is that it doesn’t seem to fix or improve our existing way of working. For heavy-duty computing, such as industrial design and architecture, a traditional PC or laptop remains the best form factor. Likewise, I don’t see many workplaces replacing the PCs or laptops at people’s desks with Vision Pro headsets that limit collaboration and communication – the exact opposite of what Apple designed the headset for.
Watching movies and TV shows will undoubtedly be impressive and immersive on the Vision Pro, but TVs and good sound systems remain the best way to enjoy media, especially if you want to be social while doing so.
On the other hand, the iPad showed how the tablet form factor could make reading and browsing the web much more intuitive, and watching shows in bed or on the go more comfortable. And as I discovered, with the right accessories and apps, it could even work as a laptop replacement.
Crucially, you could see how the iPad could change the way you do things just by seeing it – something you can’t see with the Vision Pro. You’ll have to test it personally. Maybe that’s what I should do. When the Vision Pro finally launches in the UK, I’ll definitely be trying it out – and it might change my opinion. If that happens, and I’m really wrong, I’ll happily admit it. Until then, I’m just not sold on it.