Technology

I'm sure it is extremely impressive. That means nothing when you're paying $3500 for a device that has no practical use. It doesn't even support any VR games, which is the only realistic usecase. Maybe they could rent them out for a few weeks because after that time you get bored of it immediately.

I think it's pretty clear their intended use was "spatial computing" which is apple marketing speak for a computer with floating displays. But they were fools to think that anyone wanted to walk around with this thing strapped to their face, much less that they would pay such a wild amount of money for it. Or that they would use that floating keyboard on a daily basis.

For the specs of what it is and what else is out there, it's actually a really good price.

People like to compare it to the cheapest headsets out there, but it has specs that beat the highest end headsets out there and it's cheaper than those.

When the Apple Vision pro came out, the closest device sporting similar specs would be the Varjo XR-3 which was only available to Enterprise users. It cost $7k plus a $1500 yearly subscription, plus you needed a powerful computer to run it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REo1ugX5GSI

Basically, hardware wise, it's good, but for it's actual uses it's not worth the $3500.

What is the point in developing something so expensive that nobody buys it?

Like sure it's got some really cool tech in it but since literally no one has made any apps for it what's the point.

What's a waveguide?

Apple treats developers like hot garbage, why would anyone bother to develop content for them just to be immediately kicked to the curb?

Usually if money is burning a hole in your pocket then it means it's extra money and bills are paid. At least, that is how I've always used it and heard it used.

wheres the first party stuff at LEAST? like garage band couldve been amazing.. or logic or reason, or maps.. wheres the tilt brush and 3d modelers? rollercoaster tycoon would shred in this.

It's fine if you don't want one, but my VR headset get used daily and was a great investment. Once you get used to good VR games, the rest of the video games in 2D just begin to pale in comparison. One example is Assetto Corsa (racing sim) which I could not win any races in in 2D standard mode, but when I played in VR my 3D sense of distance allowed me to actually race competitively enough to win for a change. Also it's just pretty rad to drive racecars in full 3D view, getting the full experience of moving at high speed.

And it's absolutely not true that there's "no applications" for VR. You just don't know about them because you're against it. In my household the primary applications are gaming and exercise. There are a number of VR games that require the player to physically move a lot, enough to break a sweat on every session.

IMO the only thing wrong with Apple's Vision Pro is the high price. I spent $1000 on my VR system and that was a lot. So when you get into the triple-thousand dollar ballpark, your market is just too tiny to grow into anything soon.

Honestly, the killer application is really simple, but this headset wasn't quite designed for it (nor is MacOS in general), and that is simply as external monitors.

You know what's annoying? Trying to use your computer outside, trying to use it on an airplane, or while travelling. Or being in an open plan office with a million visual distractions.

If you're working in a professional setting where your company is already buying you a giant ultra wide display or multiple professional 27" screens then you're approaching the territory of a thousand or two dollars spent on each employee, and suddenly a VR headset is starting to look more reasonable as a monitor replacement.

If this was closer to the size of the size of the Big Screen Beyond and just worked as an external display that could let you place as many windows / monitors around you as you wanted, they might actually have a compelling product.

Or if it was cheaper it could be used for gaming.

Or if it had transparent AR displays it could be used for industrial applications like Hololens.

But yeah, as is, it feels like it had a neat idea or two, some really fancy tech, and fell right in the middle of not being that useful for anyone.

nah, this is just copium. Apple don't release dev-kits to the general public. It was a real product, and it was a dud

And because of that lack of dev support, it can do less than a MacBook

"No wifi. Less space than a Nomad. Lame." - Slashdot reacting to the first iPod

Until Apple makes a device that's as capable as the Vision but as unobtrusive as a pair of glasses, it's going to remain a niche item. The Apple Watch, as you mentioned, has the benefit of being the same general form factor as a watch. iPads are just fancy notebooks.

As much as he wishes it was true, Tim Cook is no Steve Jobs or Jony Ive.

(For reference, both devices you mentioned, as well as all of Apple's successful devices since the first iPod, were products of their marketing genius.)

Seems psvr2 controller compatibility is in the works https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/8/24316130/apple-vision-pro-sony-psvr2-controller-support-gaming