Things I’ve read, a few are complaining about weight and virtual keyboard on Vision Pro, but overall a lot of reviews seem positive.
Apple have only built a limited number of units, which have sold out straight way and these only can be bought through Apple (not going to be in stores) and you have to say exclusive to US only, it’s getting released in other countries late 2024, but will it be too late then if another headset is on the horizon? So dismissing price tag, I think there are limitations on how big this can become.
You have to say this sounds more like a developer kit than actual game changing product at this stage, similar to Oculus Rift first headset over 10 years ago with Apple testing the water, only difference is Apple are not promoting it as that.
Is that a good/bad move? I don’t know. $3,500 for developer kits is not going to get the same press and sell out in the masses, so that’s why they are not promoting as that (good for Apple), but same time a device that is costing people $3,500 not called 'developer kit' with imperfections, can put people off Apple’s vision of ‘spatial computing’ in the same way it has with VR headsets (so far).
I think we need to look at that in multi-dimension.
It will be popular and all the rave, just because there is nothing else quite like it and unlikely for a year or up to 3 to match the quality of this first model.
So, it does become a question of how you measure success.
And that measurement scale was created by Apple. They know what they are trying to accomplish.
It's not necessarily the number of units sold, as long as the initial production sells out/through in a reasonable time.
The Oculus was just a display. This is a full very powerful computer and a high end display.
You could even say it is multiple computers for there is one CPU just to manage the 3D room mapping with an ability to track multiple moving objects even while the whole unit is moving. Quite a feat in consumer tech, but it has been around..
And the main CPU is one of their design with a custom instruction set, made for 3D. Years of development just for it..
I am not really concerned if it will sell mass numbers of units. Just that it is at least self sustaining.
The second gen of the product already promises a hedge against the negative stuff you might be able to claim right now.
It was important it seems for Apple to get this out there and get a foundation of Apps started.
So, in my eyes and as I said last year,
I actually consider the first iteration a developer edition, even though they are not sporting it that way. If they were t call it a Dev or Beta unit, just how to you think that would be accepted.
It is a very polished product. It needs good Apps to make it a great product. It is highly capable, but needs someone to write to that capability or it is for nothing.
I watch with concern only with respect of any final outcome could negatively effect the entire industry.
And that I deem as unlikely. They have been very aware and methodical in their approach.
And have given our niche segment the boost it needed. Or at least is about to.