You are wrong! The Vision Pro isn’t the future but Apple is about to change the world (again)
This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
By now, Apple’s Vision Pro AR/VR headset hardly needs an introduction, and in case you do need to get acquainted with it, the videos below will probably do a better job than anything I can express in the form of text.
But to get straight to the point, I’m here to tell you that I think many people are wrong about the Apple Vision Pro.
While scepticism is to be expected when it comes to new tech that tries to change the world, I do think the hundreds (and maybe thousands) of people dismissing the Apple Vision Pro are failing to see past the ski goggles.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not looking to change anybody’s mind here. But here’s why you’re wrong…
To get one thing straight, everyone buying an Apple Vision Pro right now is what we call a “tech enthusiast”, or an “early adopter”, and that’s because the Apple Vision Pro is very much a first-gen product.
Apple Vision Pro is the result of ten years of research, development, and engineering, aiming to demonstrate the peak of what AR/VR headsets are capable of right now. If you think it’s not for you, then it really isn’t.
The good news is that we’re already hearing rumors about a new, cheaper version of the Apple Vision Pro expected in the next 1-2 years.
Now, to all the people making fun of the design of the Apple Vision Pro, first of all - I’m with you. Keep the memes coming. However, at the same time, (as pretentious as it might sound), I think we must separate the artist from the art.
Yes, Apple’s headset looks silly. Yes, it’s super heavy. But that’s because all current AR/VR headsets look just as dumb, and are almost as heavy. And guess what? That’s going to be the case for a while before they become smaller, lighter, and more like a pair of glasses rather than a protective mask a welder would wear.
It’s about what the Apple Vision Pro is capable of doing - that’s the real highlight here (more about that in a bit).
I finished the last paragraph with a reference to the iPhone, and what’s worth adding is that much like the Apple Vision Pro, the 2007 iPhone was also a novel piece of tech in limbo.
No one really knew exactly what the iPhone was going to be capable of; it came with a very limited selection of apps (even after the launch of the App Store), and people just… didn’t know what to do and make out of it. At least not right away.
In a way, what shaped the iPhone 15 Pro sitting on my desk is the fact that Apple started with (almost) a blank sheet of paper, which was turned into a piece of tech art by the people, and for the people. To this day, new smartphone features are based on the needs of the users and the capabilities and imagination of app developers.
In other words, I believe in Apple’s vision for the future of wearable tech because I like thinking ahead. Give it some time, and there are going to be so many features and use cases for something like the Apple Vision Pro that you might not even be able to imagine right now.
Let me give you an example with a feature I’d absolutely love to try on Apple Vision Pro (which isn’t possible right now) - teleportation.
While magicians use clever tricks to fool your brain into thinking it happened, and Japan’s bullet train gets pretty close, true “teleportation” is something humans haven’t been able to achieve, and likely never will.
But what if I told you that you’d absolutely be able to be in the stands of a massive arena, watching your favorite team play your favorite sport, in full 360, with spatial audio coming from all around… while sitting in your living room? It’s not possible right now, but I’m willing to bet money that this is coming. And it’s the closest thing to teleportation we might ever get.
All it takes to make it happen should be a bunch of high-end cameras and microphones that capture the sporting/musical event in real time, which you can attend by simply putting your VR headset on. In fact, would this be considered Virtual Reality? Yes, and no. It’s almost like watching TV but… way more immersive.
To be fair, as it is, you already use your eyes and hands to control and navigate through the Apple Vision Pro, which is already absolutely… insane. According to all the reviews, hand and eye-tracking works incredibly well on the Vision Pro, and does make you feel like you have superpowers.
But wait until the real world starts responding to your actions and the Metaverse and universe collide - that’s when real magic would happen. Let me give an example…
You know QR codes and how you point your phone at them, and you are immediately shown the restaurant menu, or opening times? Well, similar interactive points will eventually be found all around us, but guess what - you won’t need your phone.
You’d be able to just look at something through your smart glasses, and it will… respond with information you might need. Like the way the Terminator can identify its target and everything about it.
Trust me, it sounds futuristic now, but we are way closer to this freaky reality than you might think.
In the end, this version of the Apple Vision Pro isn’t the future - it’s very much the present, and that’s OK. And you should know that. And if you think you shouldn’t buy it - you’re absolutely right. But give it some time, and I think the conversation will be quite different.
More people will be willing to see themselves wearing a piece of tech like the Apple Vision Pro when it’s a pair of normal-looking glasses, with better battery life, millions of fun and productive apps, and not $3,500.
What’s crucial to remember is the fact that Apple decided to enter and commit to the AR/VR headset space is the biggest and most important validation the market could’ve received.
Although I also believe something like the Vision Pro is the future of computing, I actually think most people will use headsets like the Apple Vision Pro for entertainment rather than productivity.
And if I know anything about today’s society, it’s that young people are willing to spend $1,500 on an iPhone to scroll through TikTok, which means they will spend even more for a gadget that seems way more fun, while it actually makes them less…human. But that’s the reality of our time.
Sceptics severely underestimate how crazy our world has become, and how dependent on technology it is. We already see photos and videos on social media of people wearing an Apple Vision Pro in all sorts of places, doing all sorts of activities you shouldn’t be doing with a headset on.
And while I’m sure most of them come with a healthy dose of sarcasm, that’s pretty much all it takes for something as ridiculous as wearing a VR headset in public to catch on and become normal. The closest analogy I can think of right now are AirPods, and how people wearing them used to be ridiculed for having something sticking out of their ears. Until AirPods became the best-selling earbuds in the world.
Also, let’s not forget how lonely and individualistic the world and people are becoming. How easy would it be for a product like the Apple Vision Pro to attract someone who finds it difficult, or unnecessary to be around other people?
But to get straight to the point, I’m here to tell you that I think many people are wrong about the Apple Vision Pro.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not looking to change anybody’s mind here. But here’s why you’re wrong…
Separating the artist from the art: Apple Vision Pro isn’t the future of wearable tech, and that’s great news
After trying out the Apple Vision Pro for the first time, Casey Neistat said: “This will be the worst Apple Vision Pro headset Apple ever ships”, which might be the most positive review anyone’s given the Vision Pro headset so far.
To get one thing straight, everyone buying an Apple Vision Pro right now is what we call a “tech enthusiast”, or an “early adopter”, and that’s because the Apple Vision Pro is very much a first-gen product.
The good news is that we’re already hearing rumors about a new, cheaper version of the Apple Vision Pro expected in the next 1-2 years.
Apple Vision Pro looks dumb (especially in public) but you’re missing the point
Shopping with the Apple Vision Pro.
Sure, this version of the Apple Vision Pro isn’t the future, and that’s because it’s very much the present. And the present is a heavy, funny-looking headset with a battery pack that hangs out of your pocket.
Now, to all the people making fun of the design of the Apple Vision Pro, first of all - I’m with you. Keep the memes coming. However, at the same time, (as pretentious as it might sound), I think we must separate the artist from the art.
Yes, Apple’s headset looks silly. Yes, it’s super heavy. But that’s because all current AR/VR headsets look just as dumb, and are almost as heavy. And guess what? That’s going to be the case for a while before they become smaller, lighter, and more like a pair of glasses rather than a protective mask a welder would wear.
It’s not a perfect analogy by any means, but the first iPhone also looked chunky; it wasn’t easily attainable; and it also was met with a healthy dose of scepticism. But people were willing to look past that because of what the iPhone was capable of - the intuitive touchscreen, the user-friendly UI, etc.
We haven’t seen what the Apple Vision Pro is capable of yet: App developers, partnerships, and ordinary users can and will make Apple’s headset truly special
Apple Vision Pro on the treadmill. At the gym.
I finished the last paragraph with a reference to the iPhone, and what’s worth adding is that much like the Apple Vision Pro, the 2007 iPhone was also a novel piece of tech in limbo.
No one really knew exactly what the iPhone was going to be capable of; it came with a very limited selection of apps (even after the launch of the App Store), and people just… didn’t know what to do and make out of it. At least not right away.
In other words, I believe in Apple’s vision for the future of wearable tech because I like thinking ahead. Give it some time, and there are going to be so many features and use cases for something like the Apple Vision Pro that you might not even be able to imagine right now.
Apple Vision Pro will make teleportation possible before magicians can
Let me give you an example with a feature I’d absolutely love to try on Apple Vision Pro (which isn’t possible right now) - teleportation.
While magicians use clever tricks to fool your brain into thinking it happened, and Japan’s bullet train gets pretty close, true “teleportation” is something humans haven’t been able to achieve, and likely never will.
But what if I told you that you’d absolutely be able to be in the stands of a massive arena, watching your favorite team play your favorite sport, in full 360, with spatial audio coming from all around… while sitting in your living room? It’s not possible right now, but I’m willing to bet money that this is coming. And it’s the closest thing to teleportation we might ever get.
Now, would I prefer to be watching Real Madrid playing in Spain with all the fans, the electric atmosphere of the stadium, and a beer? Absolutely! But what if (for whatever reason) I can’t? Right now, the best alternative would be watching the game on TV. But what if I could be… (almost) there?
Apple Vision Pro will let you control things with your mind, and you will hate how much you’ll love it
Now on to telekinesis…
But wait until the real world starts responding to your actions and the Metaverse and universe collide - that’s when real magic would happen. Let me give an example…
You know QR codes and how you point your phone at them, and you are immediately shown the restaurant menu, or opening times? Well, similar interactive points will eventually be found all around us, but guess what - you won’t need your phone.
Trust me, it sounds futuristic now, but we are way closer to this freaky reality than you might think.
Apple Vision Pro might be today’s biggest joke but it’s also the future of mobile computing and entertainment
The current version of the Apple Vision Pro isn’t the future but, ten years from now, we are going to be looking at the world through a pair of smart glasses. Change my mind!
In the end, this version of the Apple Vision Pro isn’t the future - it’s very much the present, and that’s OK. And you should know that. And if you think you shouldn’t buy it - you’re absolutely right. But give it some time, and I think the conversation will be quite different.
More people will be willing to see themselves wearing a piece of tech like the Apple Vision Pro when it’s a pair of normal-looking glasses, with better battery life, millions of fun and productive apps, and not $3,500.
The existence of the Vision Pro is already making AR/VR headsets the talk of the town in the US, which means AR/VR headsets finally get the attention they would’ve loved to have ten years ago. Apple’s headset is expected to debut in China in the spring. Inevitably, competition in the AR/VR market will pick up pace, and (as we all know) that’s the biggest innovation booster there is. Like it or not (and I’m still not sure where I stand) - wearable computers are here to stay.
Sceptics underestimate how crazy the world has become: Apple Vision Pro will be “normal” before you know it
Although I also believe something like the Vision Pro is the future of computing, I actually think most people will use headsets like the Apple Vision Pro for entertainment rather than productivity.
Sceptics severely underestimate how crazy our world has become, and how dependent on technology it is. We already see photos and videos on social media of people wearing an Apple Vision Pro in all sorts of places, doing all sorts of activities you shouldn’t be doing with a headset on.
And while I’m sure most of them come with a healthy dose of sarcasm, that’s pretty much all it takes for something as ridiculous as wearing a VR headset in public to catch on and become normal. The closest analogy I can think of right now are AirPods, and how people wearing them used to be ridiculed for having something sticking out of their ears. Until AirPods became the best-selling earbuds in the world.
Things that are NOT allowed: