IN THE world of virtual reality, there are many complaints. Quite a few people think that the technology isn’t there yet, but Apple took the idea in a slightly different direction with the Apple Vision Pro. The Apple Vision Pro uses what they call “Spatial Immersion,” a blend of augmented and virtual reality, to bring a whole new experience to the table. You can sign up for a demo of the product at an Apple store and experience it for yourself.
The product itself is excellently made. The strap around the head is made of a comfortable material, it’s deceptively lightweight, and it fits comfortably around the head, though it may take a bit of getting used to. While virtual reality makes people prone to sickness, the Vision Pro counteracts this with its passthrough mode, which lets you see the outside world almost perfectly. The screen itself has an 8k display — four times more resolution than the 4k displays on most newer television screens.
In terms of features, the Apple Vision Pro fans love to boast about its immersive view, hand controls, spatial photos and videos, and immersive movies. The immersive view is accessed by turning a dial on the top of the front piece, which can put you in an immersive nature environment. Only one immersive view is accessible for the demo, but the Vision Pro has 10 fully immersive environments to choose from. The one accessible in the demo, which is a large pond in the ocean, comes complete with ambient sounds and the wildlife in the distance in a 360-degree view of your surroundings. All other features are accessible when within the immersive view, including watching films on Apple TV, letting you escape to a place of your choosing while using the headset.
The hand controls and eye tracking are very well done. Instead of using handheld controllers like most virtual reality headsets, the Vision Pro tracks your eye movements to see which buttons you are looking at, and it tracks hand movements to see what you are selecting. It isn’t perfect of course, as holding your hands too high can obstruct the cameras, but it is easy to get used to and quite responsive. You can use the hand motions to push buttons, zoom in on text or photos, or scroll through images.
Speaking of images, the spatial photos/videos are one of the main selling points of the device. The Vision Pro can capture photos and videos that take in a 3D view of your surroundings, and project them back to you as such. Combined with immersive view, it feels almost like you are really there. During the demo, you can look through several immersive photos and videos that really put you in the moment like you are watching someone’s memories. Additionally, you can watch a short video taking you through nature environments, getting close to wildlife, and soaring through the skies, showing the potential for documentaries or even entire movies that could be viewed using the device.
While the Vision Pro is deserving of high praise, it isn’t without its flaws. The most notable downside is the staggering price of $3,500. Whether or not the features make up for the cost of the device is up for debate among many. Additionally, it is powered by an external battery pack that, while not exceptionally bulky, can be tricky to carry around. You could always place it on a flat surface nearby, but the cord does not stretch very far, so you have to be close to it. If you are considering purchasing the Vision Pro, but you’re not sure if it’s right for you, you can sign up for a free demonstration at any Apple store promoting the device.
