It's so rare these days for Apple to release a product in a staggered manner across the world as they have done in 2024 with their latest product, the Apple Vision Pro.
Announced in June last year it went on sale in the USA in February but now, five months of learning later, Apple is bringing it to a few more countries, including Australia.
This device is nothing short of polarising. My wife, every time she sees me wearing it says "you look ridiculous". My kids, when they saw it and I gave them a chance to have a look - blown away, love the potential of it.
Personally, I think my time with Apple Vision Pro has taught me that much of the hype has been misguided, and that there are some exceptionally capable uses for the device, but many more will come. At least that seems to be what Apple is banking on.
What is Apple Vision Pro?
Last year Apple CEO Tim Cook referred to this multiple times as Augmented Reality, yet today the company seems to not embrace that term as much. Strangely, I think that's wrong, because it is perhaps unquestionably the best demonstration of Augmented Reality (AR) ever created.
The idea with AR is that instead of blocking out the world around you, like virtual reality does, although you can choose to "dial in" an environment with Apple Vision Pro to do that. And through the lens of Apple Vision Pro you're meant to be able to see the room, and world around you while also seeing virtual items like apps or images.
With a setup process that I think took less than five minutes, you jump straight into this augmented world where you see the room that you're in but in front of you as if hovering in space - are a set of very much Apple style icons for Apps like photos, mail and messages.
Apple now call it Spatial Computing, their way of describing what is known in the industry as Augmented or Mixed Reality.
Is it comfortable?
Comfort is subjective really. For me, after more than 80 to 90 minutes usage I feel like when I take the Apple Vision Pro off there's a sense of relief. It's not light.
The default headband that comes attached works by securing the front heavy unit to your head with a wide band across the back of your head. Good for shorter usage, I have found myself far happier with the second strap which has a velcro adjustable band across the back and top of your head.
Perhaps the most common "pop up" message I get when using it is to "Move Vision Pro Up" - and it works better that way for sure, but I feel like my head would prefer it was down for comfort sake. Perhaps it's all to do with each of our heads, but given how vastly different we all are it was always going to suffer a compromise somewhere. Importantly, the advanced software on Vision Pro is able to spot this need and suggest corrective action.
How do you use it?
This is the most remarkable thing about this device. Unlike anything I've used before, it took just seconds to learn.
You don't need a controller to move your focus from one app to another, as if to draw from the neuralink inserted brain driven future, all you do is look at the button, icon or control you want to interact with then click by tapping your index finger and thumb together.
That same clicking action can be used to scroll, sideway for up and down. Actions like Zooming in and out are logical from there, pinch two fingers and bring them closer together to zoom out, further apart to zoom in.
What can you do on it?
While of course the "possibilities are endless" there are as it stands a limited number of things you can do. A device like this needs apps to be made for it. The App Store on Apple Vision Pro technically has a million apps in it. However the bulk of them are actually iPad apps that you can see and use on Vision Pro.
What you really want to look for are apps designed for Vision Pro.
Strangely, within the store there is no Netflix, or Stan. But there is Disney Plus and Apple TV+ even Paramount. I would have thought that if I can play "Cut the Rope" - an iPad game on a "flat" but "virtual" screen in my Vision Pro then I could do the same with these other apps. Perhaps developers need to enable that - I'm not sure.
For me, the highlights using Vision Pro were:
- Super Fruit Ninja
- JigSpace
- PGA
- TikTok
- And all the Apple default apps like notes, messages and music.
These apps use the space you are in. Within Fruit Ninja you might throw a ninja star to cut a fruit and the star will go on and be embedded "virtually" into your actual TV, or wall.
JigSpace allows you to place a real 3D object into your space like a lounge room and walk around it and interact with it. It's compelling stuff.
PGA have added their leaderboards and scorecards, and when clicking on particular holes a full 3D model of the hole and the shots played by the golfer of your choice are shown.
TikTok is perhaps the one app I used most, as is the case with my regular smartphone, which is a fascinating thing, that my habits remained the same no matter which device I was using.
And spreading out all of Apple's apps around you in the virtual space overlaid into your real world is amazing.
For MacBook or Mac computer users, you can use your Apple Vision Pro to create a larger more dynamically placed display for your computer. Then just go on using your standard keyboard and mouse. I found this to be a great productivity tool, and while limited currently to a single display that's fine because your Apple apps like Messages, Mail and web can sit around you driven by the Vision Pro which itself is a computer.
The biggest use for this might just be privacy. Only you can see what you're doing - no matter how many people walk past you, they'll never see what's on your screen. Until you disconnect the Apple Vision Pro.
Apple Vision Pro's best feature?
Advanced FaceTime calls.
Apple calls them Spacial - again, drawing on that word for all its most advanced features. Basically, instead of seeing a live video of you, that's impossible because this thing is on your head, you take advanced photos of your face and smile so that when on a call the Apple Vision Pro can send the other person or people on the call an image of you that "looks" like a live video.
But it's not even that. That's called a persona. All the people on the call who are on Apple Vision Pro can switch to Spatial mode which then places them within the 3D space of the other participants. They might be beside you in front of your, and their words come to you from that direction.. You stand up and they all see you rise and will look up. You can even walk around them. It is - remarkable. And so so much more engaging than any Zoom call I've ever done.
What not to like about Apple Vision Pro
Price - $5999 is a lot, a heck of a lot of money. Difficult to justify.
Really makes sense why Apple is seeing strong usage in the corporate and business world. T his can be purchased for business, be it for training, research or just to keep across the advances in tech. I get that.
But at home, you're going to need to forgo perhaps buying a big screen TV because you think this can be that big screen. You will need to find something like that as a justification. I don't think many will.
Overall
I'm left feeling more enthused about Apple Vision Pro than I was a year ago. Not just because it remains brilliant to me, and I see many great uses, but because I ponder what this style of technology might become in ten years.
Could a pair of sunglasses do much of this one day? Perhaps?
Is this the only "Spatial Computing" device Apple will release - unlikely. Personally I expect a paired back version that might still be expensive but just less so in future. I also think Apple is big enough to ride out a slow overall start for Vision Pro.
There's no possible way they thought this would sell like iPads first did with this price tag. Anyone suggesting sales are below expectations or that Apple is cutting back on Vision Pro development is out of their mind.
Apple is in this for the long haul, and I do think in five years more homes and more people will own this. It's a long way off being as popular as an iPad.
However, I doubt I know anyone that will buy one. My recommendation to every single person is to go and try it. Book a demo at an Apple Store and just have a go - it will be an eye opening experience.