In a private demo room at Apple's campus, technology enthusiasts had a firsthand experience with the newly announced Vision Pro mixed reality headset. The demo session, lasting for 30 minutes, left the participants in awe and envisioning a future shaped by this groundbreaking technology.

The participants encountered amazing virtual environments during the immersive demo. A virtual butterfly landed delicately on their finger, while a lifelike dinosaur tried to bite them, giving a sense of exhilaration and excitement. Furthermore, they report standing inches away from Alicia Keys' piano while she serenaded them in a recording studio. The emotional impact was a lot for some, with tears welling up inside the headset when a young bear cub swam by them on a peaceful lake, invoking memories of a dearly departed loved one.

The headset unveiling

Apple unveiled the Vision Pro headset, a revolutionary device that integrates virtual and augmented reality, offering a transformative experience. CEO Tim Cook called it a "revolutionary product" and praised its potential to revolutionize technology interaction, interpersonal connections, and world perception. However, the device is still in its early stages, with limited apps and experiences, a small battery pack, and disorienting initial moments. The announced price of $3,499 was surprising, surpassing previous rumors and surpassing the cost of other headsets.

With Apple's devoted following and impressive hardware track record, the company could potentially convince developers, early adopters, and select enterprise customers to invest in the device. However, attracting a broader mainstream audience would require the presence of a "killer app" or multiple compelling experiences that captivate users. Based on the individual's demo experience, Apple still had a long way to go, but the initial offering was undeniably intriguing.

Apple's Cupertino campus hosted a demonstration for enthusiasts of its new headset, the Vision Pro. An employee scanned the individual's face to customize the fit, and optometrists scanned their glasses to accommodate specific prescriptions. This customization differentiated Apple from competitors and eliminated glasses needing fitting. The initial setup process was challenging, but Apple mitigated motion sickness using the R1 processor, enhancing the user experience.

Visual Build

Visually, the headset resembled a pair of designer ski goggles, featuring a soft adjustable strap on the top and two "digital crown" buttons – one on the back and a larger version on the top, serving as a home button. A wire connected the headset to an external battery pack. 

Photo Credit: Apple Vision Pro

Unlike other headsets, the Vision Pro displayed the user's eyes on the exterior, ensuring they remained visually connected to those around them. Alan Dye, vice president of the human interface at Apple, emphasized this feature during the keynote, highlighting that users could see and be seen by others while wearing the headset.

Once the headset is on, an iOS-like interface greets its user in the demo tryout. They quickly discovered the ease of navigating through apps such as Messages, FaceTime, Safari, and Photos using their eye movements and a simple gesture of touching their thumb and pointer finger together to simulate the "select" button. This intuitive control mechanism worked seamlessly, even when their hands were resting on their lap.

The Photos app offers immersive, larger-than-life photos, but it may not be suitable for everyday use. The Vision Pro offers 3D spatial photo viewing, but this feature has limited practical applications. An Apple employee wearing a Vision Pro headset created a virtual persona during a FaceTime call, but it was not a genuine human presence. The persona was not scanned using Apple's OpticID security feature.

Virtual Interaction

Photo credit: Justin Sullivan/ Getty Images

During the virtual interaction, the Apple employee shared a virtual whiteboard, effortlessly manipulating and highlighting interior design images. Cook had previously emphasized the potential for augmented reality to foster collaboration, and this tool showcased that promise. However, the cost-benefit analysis for employers considering the investment of $3,499 per employee to enable such interactions, rather than relying on established video conferencing platforms like Zoom, remained unclear.

The true magic of the Vision Pro headset revealed itself in the immersive videos. For instance, the individual had the opportunity to watch a 3D underwater scene from the upcoming film Avatar 2, which transported them into the ocean alongside the fictional creatures. It was easy to imagine the appeal to Hollywood filmmakers, who could create specialised experiences exclusively for the headset. 

Apple's strong relationships in the entertainment industry, including ties with former Apple board member and Disney CEO Bob Iger, positions the company to collaborate on such endeavours. During the event, it was announced that Disney+ would be available on the Vision Pro at launch, with additional experiences from National Geographic, Marvel, and ESPN teased by Apple.

Throughout its history, Apple has consistently introduced products that utilise screens of varying sizes to reshape the way we live, work, and interact with the world. The Vision Pro headset possesses the potential to deliver all of these transformative qualities in an even more remarkable way.