Apple’s newest product, the $3,500 Vision Pro, will be released next week. The device is a face computer that resembles ski goggles and includes high-resolution displays and sensors that track eye movements and hand gestures. Apple bills the headset as the beginning of an era of “spatial computing,” blending data with the physical world to improve lives. However, the future success of this ambitious product is still uncertain.
The journalist explores past headsets, including Google Glass, smartphone-powered virtual reality headsets, and plugged-in VR headsets. The article highlights the challenges faced by these products due to design, privacy concerns, and unconvincing applications.
The article also mentions stand-alone headsets like Meta’s Quest, which have not yet become mainstream hits. The Vision Pro, at 21 ounces, is similarly heavy to Meta’s products, and its battery life is only two hours. Although Apple markets the Vision Pro as a productivity tool, replacing laptops and offering gaming and movie experiences, it remains to be seen if this ambitious product will be a breakthrough hit.
