By Bill Bourbeau, Director, XR Development, Studio Rx
Well, it's been a month with the Apple Vision Pro. After daily use, I will say that there are still moments where the experience can feel... magical. Yes, the build quality is first class. Apple has always done screens well, and the visual fidelity is simply amazing. It is also heavy. And very expensive, as are most Apple products (starting at USD $3,499).
What sets the Vision Pro apart from VR headsets like the Quest 3 from Meta? Well, for starters it is being marketed as a “spatial computer.” The running joke was that this headset would be an iPad strapped to your face. And it feels like a version of that, but in a good way. Here you can truly multi-task across apps. One can pair their laptop (okay, MacBook) and pull up a giant virtual screen - and natively play music, edit a note, and pull up a browser window, all arranged physically in space.
This is the true elegance of “VisionOS” - Apple’s self-described spatial operating system that “lets users interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space.” Combined with a desktop grade processor and an array of cameras and sensors, it just works. The input system, which uses a combination of eye-tracking and hand gestures, feels intuitive and had me trained to the point of trying to grasp and move application windows on my actual Mac desktop within a week of use.
As a spatial OS is aware of your environment, you don’t have to close applications. You can simply stand up and walk away from them. As I move from my office to my living room, then to the kitchen, I can have completely different sets of applications running given the context. Kitchen timers and a game of chess can be “left” in place to return to later. I found over time, the applications that I ran started to match the context of my house, which became interesting and didn’t feel forced.
Thinking forward a bit, as wearables become lighter, this is a key feature as wearable devices become mainstream. With a combination of location services and a spatial operating system, guided helper apps for navigation and retail experiences can become a reality. Imagine walking into a grocery store and being guided towards the sliced artichokes, while your checklist is always at arm’s reach. Or viewing an interactive device trainer for a new inhaler while your prescription is being filled at the pharmacy. Outdoors, “air rights” for virtual signage in high foot traffic areas could become a thing.
For now, the Apple services ecosystem is the “killer app” for the Vision Pro. For me, this device is the best “personal TV” money can buy. The visual experience of watching 3D movies like Avatar exceeds the theater (minus the rumble seats and audience). And spatial video, which can be captured within the headset (or the latest iPhone) is captivating. Rumor has it that Apple has been capturing spatial video across several of their productions and live sports. Even bonus material will be must-see.
Running immersive applications, like manipulating a 3D jigsaw puzzle or walking around an anatomically correct heart stent procedure, reveal the true capabilities of what we can look forward to as the OS matures. There is huge potential for industries that are inherently three dimensional, like healthcare, architecture, and manufacturing. Not to mention media content creation. As a 3D artist, moving away from working on a flat screen to literally sculpting in the air is a dream come true.
Sure, the Vision Pro is a version one product. People have likened the user experience to that of the first iPhone. There are little things that need to be figured out. For instance, it would be great to “pin” a widget to travel with me from space to space. And there are bigger challenges, like immersive shared experiences. Right now, I can play a solo game chess, but can I play against a persona (apple’s avatar) of a friend? Another hurdle is the ability to easily share with colleagues that are excited to try for themselves. While there is a guest mode which requires several minutes of setup every time, the Vision Pro is inherently a personal device.
As I’ve said, it’s only been a month. There is so much potential for spatial computing in personal settings and I can see that moving to enterprise in future iterations. The Vision Pro has become a disruptor within the XR industry, putting a focus on a clean user experience and innovative approaches in wearable technology. I’m equally excited to see how Apple evolves the software and how Meta responds. And most importantly, what developers dream up.
