Meet Vision Pro: Apple’s ‘Spatial Computer’

Facebook introduced Meta Quest 3 as their ‘next-generation virtual and mixed reality headset’. Sony has its ‘ground-breaking PlayStation VR2 next-generation virtual and mixed reality headset’. Apple simply welcomed us to the ‘era of spatial computing’. That, my friend, is what makes Apple different.

There have been persistent speculations (and doubts) about Apple’s plan to enter the AR/VR market, especially whether Tim Cook’s magic-makers can get an average Joe interested in this whole new product line. We have the answer now.

What Exactly is This Vision Pro?

At its core, Vision Pro is a headset that uses a mix of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies to let you experience apps that ‘float’ in open spaces around you. Hence, the name Spatial Computing.

You interact with the apps using your eyes, hand gestures, and voice. And there’s a lot you can do, like move around the app windows, resize them, and even change the backdrop of your room to exotic locations!

Of course, there’s plenty of in-built innovation that makes this device a unique experience. Apple spent a good 40-45 mins of its WWDC keynote explaining the tech and its applications in painstaking detail. Thankfully, they released a crisper 9 mins video later that captures the essence of the product perfectly. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX9qSaGXFyg

Looks Cool & Weird at the Same Time

If I have to summarise my take on Vision Pro in one line just based on Apple’s keynote demo, I’d say, ’It looks awe-inspiring and a bit creepy at the same time!’

I am the kind who watches as many movies as possible in IMAX 3D to get that immersive experience. Watching video content on Vision Pro looks like the next level; in fact, it looks several levels higher.

On the flip side, there’s the silliness of sitting around in a room with a screen strapped on one’s eyes with a charging cable dangling over the shoulder.

There are many more such wows and whys that I felt while watching the presentation. You can read about the workings & features of Vision Pro on Apple’s website and come up with your own segregation – https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/.

The 3500 Dollars Elephant in the Room

Then there is the price tag. It was always going to be expensive. Many predicted it’d be crazy expensive. It turned out to be crazier.

This eye-watering price tag of 3500 USD for Vision Pro is for the US market. The direct conversion to Indian rupees works out to ₹2.9 lacs appx. As you might know, the actual pricing for Apple products in India is always much higher than the direct USD to INR conversion. So be prepared to shell out 4.5 to 5 lacs to own Apple’s latest innovation.

Will We? Won’t We?

There are many Apple enthusiasts like me who are intrigued by Apple’s foray into a new product category. There is always a temptation to try out everything Tim Cook calls ‘our best yet’. But that’s just wishful thinking!

Let me channel my inner Nostradamus and say that whenever I take a demo on Vision Pro at an Apple Store, I’ll be blown away. The wows will instantly overshadow the whys. It’ll be love at first sight! (I resisted all the puns like ‘Apple’s vision for AR/VR’ or ‘seeing the future’ etc. Allow me just this one).

I also know I wouldn’t be the only one to go through this cycle of not caring about AR/VR to caring too much about this AR/VR. No fanboy or fangirl will be spared by Apple’s reality distortion field.

Let’s fight off the lust with logic – This is a Gen 1 product, which means it’s going to be limited by tech and a lack of applications. Also, we don’t really need an AR/VR headset; all our devices will suffice as they’ve done so far.

And if all logic fails, we can count on someone to stop us – our friend – the elephant. Apple has actually done us a big favor by pricing Vision Pro so exorbitantly that it’s not even in the realm of possibility for all the non-Ambanis.

There’ll be Vision Pro 2, there’ll be a Vision (non-Pro), and there might also be a Vision SE. They’ll still be expensive, but not as much. Wearing them will still feel stupid, but not as much. Will it be enough for you and me to buy one eventually? I don’t know.

What I know is that, while other companies have been struggling for years to sell their AR/VR headsets, Apple has successfully sold us the idea of spatial computing without actually releasing a product. Steve would’ve been proud!