My Apple Vision Pro Demo

I had the opportunity to demo the Apple Vision Pro yesterday. The following is a write-up of my experience.

My store had a section blocked off with a couple of tables where a few people could do the demo simultaneously. Unfortunately, it was a sitting experience and quite loud in the room. It was not the ideal setup because of the noise and the other people in my “view,” but it probably didn’t deter the experience much.

The Hardware

Apple took my current glasses so they could add the appropriate lease to my demo device. While I waited, my guide told me what to expect and what her experience was with her first demo.

The device is very slick, made of high-quality materials, and looks very premium—precisely what you would expect from Apple.

I didn’t think much of the weight at first. I adjusted my straps, and while I could tell the weight was in the front, it didn’t seem significant or uncomfortable. A 20-minute demo is insufficient to fully understand.

One thing I didn’t consider until after the demo was the audio. Although nothing covers the ears, the audio still sounded pretty good, even in a noisy room. It's not the same as with good headphones or a living-room sound system, but it's impressive nonetheless.

The UI

After some adjustments, the demo started. When things booted up, I looked to the side, where my UI was “stuck.” So, as I waited, I looked elsewhere and didn’t even see the boot-up sequence, where you’re looking when your Home Screen loads, which is where it will stay until you move it.

I remember glancing to the side and noticing the Home Screen floating there, and then I realized what was happening. I adjusted.

The UI looks spectacular. It just floats there in front of you. It looks as if you can touch it. Everything has a “soft” look to it. The area you’re looking at is crisper than the surrounding area, as in real life. This also makes it possible to put more processing power into the area you’re looking at rather than what you’re not.

As I look around with my eyes, the icons light up. Your eyes are your primary navigation (without getting into the accessibility options).

Clicking a selected UI element is evident. Tap your fingers together. I initially held my hands up when I did this, but I realized that was not necessary. As long as my hands were not obstructed under the table, it worked fine while resting.

There are other gestures for scrolling and zooming.

The Environments

I was then guided through the UI and the “Environments” that could be enabled using your “Digital Crown” on the headset itself. You could fade the environment in and out. This allows you to sit in the Alaskan mountains or on a beach while you work or play.

Photos and Videos

Next, I took a tour of some photos taken on various iPhones. Initially, they were standard photos that looked great. I could easily resize and zoom in and out. Next were the spatial photos, which were taken from newer iPhones or the Vision Pro itself. These photos were much more realistic and had a depth that didn’t look “fake 3D” but more lifelike than any other photo I’ve seen.

I then watched the video, which showed me sitting at a table with my family as the young girl blew out her birthday cake candles. This was the first “oh wow” that came out of my mouth. Other than the limited field of view from the goggles, it felt like I was sitting in the room.

After experiencing this, I genuinely understand why we would want to record these moments so that we may watch them again whenever we want. It was pretty remarkable. On the other hand, I don’t envision myself wanting to wear a Vision Pro during these moments. Maybe recording with a phone instead. There needs to be a better way to record these moments without disrupting the moment itself.

Movies

Next, there was a quick demo of the Mario movie. During this, I was able to resize the window to “Movie Screen” size and experience what it is like to watch a movie with the Vision Pro. I could envision myself watching movies on this device. However, I think some movies are ideal for the Vision Pro, while others may not. This video explains it well.

The Recap

The last video was a 5-minute exploration of various landscapes, including mountain climbing, flying, interacting with rhinos, and a few other activities.

I did back up when the Rhine came at me. I could sense things that weren't there, like the mist or the cold rain. My mind was filling in the gaps. It was pretty cool.

The demo ends

This concluded my demo. I was a bit disappointed it ended so quickly. I expected to see some dinosaurs, touch a butterfly, and experience the mindfulness features. Not only that, but I didn’t experience Personas or what it would be like to use a Mac or take a Zoom call—things I would expect to use in real life.

Motion Sickness

I’m someone who gets motion sickness quickly. I can’t ride in the back seat of a car on long trips or ride rollercoasters. Yet, I didn’t have any problems at all with the Vision Pro. I may have felt slightly unbalanced when I was suddenly on a high tightrope looking over a river. But that’s part of the experience.

Long Periods?

Could I use the Vision Pro for long periods? Could I use it to work on my computer? Read a book? Watch movies? I don’t know for sure. While the device was comfortable during the 20 minutes I wore it, I did notice I was very sweaty when I took it off. I imagine it would become uncomfortable to use for more than a couple of hours at a time.

Antisocial?

A significant drawback of the Vision Pro is that it is primarily a solo experience. While you can optionally see other people in the room and interact with them, they won’t see what you see. What if I want to watch a show with my wife or a movie with my kids? I suspect Apple will resolve this over time. There will be more ways to have a shared experience, assuming each of you has a Vision Pro.

Will I buy a Vision Pro?

I think I react similarly to the Vision Pro as most people do. It’s technically outstanding but too expensive, and I don’t think I would use it enough.

No, I won’t buy this first version of the Apple Vision Pro.

I will undoubtedly watch the following versions to see how Apple improves things. If they make it a little lighter, a lot cheaper, and more capable (especially in multi-player), then it will be much more interesting for me.

As it stands, I’m unsure if the Vision Pro offers many benefits as a “productivity” device. Perhaps it could replace your expensive monitors. Then, you can easily take your setup with you, even to a coffee shop.

There are certainly some situations that sound wonderful with the Apple Vision Pro. I don’t think it’s clear yet whether comfort or battery life is the priority. I’m excited to see what it looks like in a few years.