There is no doubt that the Apple Vision Pro is full of high end technology. We have had VR Headsets for a long time, and although they have improved significantly over time, they are still limited in many ways. Although Apple does not say VR Headset, but instead uses the term Spatial Computing, the Vision Pro set is basically a VR Headset.
Apple Vision Pro is currently only available in the US, so the kits that are out have not surprisingly landed in the hands of testers and content creators based in the US.
However, all feedback from people who have had their hands on it show that it is the most advanced set on the market. One of the big differences is of course also that, while many other headsets focus primarily on gaming, it is not something that occupies much space in Apple's marketing of the Apple Vision Pro.
Apple has a different approach to the form factor, and it is, in typical Apple style, tied to their entire ecosystem of devices, rather than to a single thing like gaming. So the big focus from Apple has been on selling the idea that the Apple Vision Pro is another device that you can use for all the same things you use your other Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad or Macs.
In pretty much the entire series of tests and reviews I've collected, there are impressed mines in relation to the large amount of technology that Apple has squeezed into the Vision Pro kit. Apple sets a new standard for how VR/AR headsets can be used, which is largely connected to the fact that it is so closely connected to Apple's other ecosystem.
Despite the many impressed minds about the technology, there is also a lot of reluctance to trace in relation to the use of Apple Vision Pro. There are a number of things that pull in the more negative direction, in relation to Apple's vision that we will work and live with the Apple Vision Pro in front of our eyes. There are lots of wild and impressive things you can do with Vision Pro, but there are also many things that can easily make it a heavier and more cumbersome experience than using the external devices that we already know in the form of our computer or smartphone.
After all that has been said, there is no doubt that if there is someone who has tech influence enough to push people's perception of new technology, it is Apple. We cannot avoid the fact that it was Apple who started the use of smartphones, which we all take for granted today. If it is to end up becoming more widely used, it will not be with the first generation of Apple Vision Pro.
For one thing, the price is far above what you can expect the average tech fan to shell out for a new gadget. There are also, despite the impressive technology, still such major shortcomings in the experience that it easily ends up blocking the experience for many who would otherwise be interested in a set like the Vision Pro. So even though the experience can be great in many ways, as I touched on before, having to wear a headset can still end up being a heavy addition. With the Apple Vision Pro, it is both physical, as the headset is generally described as too heavy for long-term comfortable use, but also simply because it is more difficult than simply using your computer, tablet or smartphone.
I see it a bit like my experience with VR Gaming. I'm still crazy about VR gaming and have had some of the most impressive and immersive gaming experiences via VR Gaming when it's done well. I still see it as a type of gaming that affects the experience in a fundamentally different way than when I sit in front of my PC or console. Despite that, I have sold my VR set a long time ago, when I simply discovered that I found it all too rarely because it was a more difficult and "heavy" experience than simply turning on my PC or console. With that realization, I also came to the conclusion that I had a hard time defending that I had such an expensive tech gadget lying on the shelf, which I rarely used, despite the fact that I loved the experiences it gave me.
This is precisely the hurdle that Apple, in my book, really has to overcome in order for a product like the Apple Vision Pro to be widely rolled out... That and then the price must naturally come down a LOT.