My thoughts on Vision Pro

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to visit an Apple Store and demo the Apple Vision Pro and I thought I would give my opinion and thoughts on my experience. I’ll start by mentioning that I am absolutely an Apple fanboy. As a designer myself it’s hard not to be inspired by Apple and their attention to detail with everything they create. Their software and operating systems are setting the standards in regards to privacy, design and user experience. Their marketing is second to none and copied by everyone. Their retail experience is unmatched. Their product design and build quality are a step above the rest. Everything is just that bit more polished and thought out. And the Vision Pro is no exception.?

I entered the store and immediately noticed the 2 Vision Pro units strategically placed right at the entrance to capture everyone’s attention. Interestingly whilst waiting for my demo team member to come and get me, I noticed that all the people standing around the display units, didn’t fully understand what they were looking at. People were asking staff about how the VR works,? what they can actually be used for, how they work etc. And I think that speaks to how this is still a relatively new product category that is not yet mainstream enough for people to know why they would want one.?

My demo team member came and took me to another area where I was sat down and then had to use my own phone to create a map of my face to measure me for the right unit. This was the only real negative point for me. This technology is very early days yet and there is no denying that in a few years time we will look back at this initial unit and laugh at how archaic it was. Kind of like how we would hold an old iPod now and laugh at how large and chunky it is compared to our sleek slim iPhones. The difference being that it is easier to see this products downfalls already. The fact that I had to individually set this unit up for myself is a reminder that the Vision Pro is not designed to be used by multiple people. You can create guest accounts but they will not experience the Vision Pro in the same way as the primary user, as it was originally set up for that individual. Having said that, the device is comfortable and feels like a well designed and high quality product that you would expect from the likes of Apple.

I’m not going to go into the detail of the whole demo because there is so much to cover but I will say this. Whether it was watching a movie trailer on the moon, being transported into panoramic photos, or watching immersive content - like sitting courtside in a basketball match, standing on a tightrope between two mountains, or sitting next to Alicia Keys in one of her studio sessions, the entertainment value of this device is simply incredible and is about to transform how we consume media for good. After just a 30 minute demo, I now look at my modern Smart 4k 75” LED tv as an old relic. As well as the entertainment value, I was also shown how I could open my website and other apps for work related content. And again I realised just how much this device would improve my efficiency with work. I could essentially replace my single desktop monitor with as many windows as I like at any size I want - all whilst sitting on a mountain top or a sunny beach.

Navigating within Vision Pro is so intuitive and natural that within a few seconds it felt very normal to just look at something and click your fingers together. I had to keep reminding myself throughout the experience of just how clever this device is to allow me to simply look at what I want to click on and make it happen with such accuracy.?

Right now, with a starting price of about $6k, this product is out of reach of many and doesn’t really provide the value just yet. But that’s normal. When 4k tv’s first came out, they had price tags of upwards of $10k. And no movies were being shot in 4k yet and no tv channels broadcasting in 4k. But then prices started to drop as the components become cheaper and movie studios and tv broadcasters began creating content in 4k - and the technology became mainstream. This is exactly what will happen with devices like Vision Pro. The value will come, the prices will drop and these devices will be in every household and business.

If you get chance, visit an Apple Store and give the Vision Pro a try. It really is a piece of kit that feels like its right out of the future.