Apple Vision Pro: Innovation or Dust Collector?

12 min read        

Can Apple rescue the Vision Pro? As of late this $3,500 computing marvel has been gathering dust on many people's shelves. Could Apple turn the Pro from an expensive paperweight into a game-changer with a few solid tweaks and upgrades? Can the Vision Pro rise from the ashes!?

Welcome to That's Life, I Swear. This podcast is about life's happenings in this world that conjure up such words as intriguing, frightening, life-changing, inspiring, and more. I'm Rick Barron your host. 

That said, here's the rest of this story 

When the public first experienced the Apple Vision Pro headset in February 2024, it seemed like Apple had recaptured its magic. This product was heralded as Apple's new 'iPhone.' The initial reaction to the $3,500 price tag was mixed; many were skeptical, but believed that Apple's technological muscle would justify the cost. However, there were some people uncertain about its intended use.

Fast forward nearly four months, and the excitement surrounding the Vision Pro has diminished. The initial allure has faded, and many users find themselves rarely using their headsets. Apple has remained tight-lipped about sales figures, but analysts believe the device has underperformed, with sales falling short of expectations. The anticipated social media buzz from enthusiastic users never materialized, and early adopters are returning their headsets or selling them for as low as $2,500 on resale sites.

A recent survey of Vision Pro owners, including journalists and tech professionals, revealed that few were still using their headsets on a regular basis, with some having abandoned them for months.

Apple Vision OS. Courtesy of: Apple

At Apple's annual developer conference on June 10, several new features for the Vision Pro were introduced. These included an updated VisionOS operating system, enhanced gesture controls, and a feature to transform old photos into 3D images viewable on the device. Additionally, Apple announced plans to expand Vision Pro sales to markets like China, Japan, and Britain. Ok, nice but not earth shattering.

These updates, however, were seen as underwhelming by the public, who had hoped for significant improvements that addressed their feedback. Instead, Apple's spotlight shifted to its latest project—generative AI, dubbed "Apple Intelligence." This new AI technology is being integrated into various products and services, including an advanced version of Siri set to launch on iPhones later this year.

Apple Intelligence launch. Courtesy of: Apple

This shift in focus raises questions about Apple's commitment to the Vision Pro, a device that was touted just months ago by its executives as the future of computing.

Why are people losing interest in the Vision Pro? Here are its main drawbacks:

• High Cost: The most significant issue is the price tag. At $3,500, the Vision Pro is prohibitively expensive for most consumers. While Apple may justify this cost with the device's cutting-edge components, it remains too steep for a product that neither replaces existing devices like smartphones or laptops nor fulfills an obvious need.

• Weight and Comfort: The headset is too heavy for prolonged use. One customer noted that the longest they could wear the Vision Pro was three hours, at best, after which they felt a bit disoriented, akin to a hangover.

• Inconvenience of Use: The necessity of carrying an external battery pack is cumbersome. Additionally, the device performs poorly in low-light conditions. There is also no efficient way to input text, making it impractical for any text-based tasks without a Bluetooth keyboard.

Surprisingly, the Vision Pro is missing some fundamental features. Unlike iPhones paired with Macs and iPads, it doesn’t support making or receiving phone calls. It is also only compatible with Apple’s Magic Trackpad, not Bluetooth mice. Furthermore, the guest mode, intended to let friends try the device, is poorly implemented. Recently, Apple announced that the upcoming VisionOS update will enhance mouse support and improve the guest user experience.

One of the biggest letdowns is the lack of quality apps. Several months post-launch, native apps for YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, and Instagram are still absent.

Goggle Glass and Apple iPro. Courtesy of: UX Collective

The absence of certain applications could be attributed to internal conflicts within corporations. Tech giants like Google and Meta harbored their own aspirations in the realm of virtual reality, likely hesitant to bolster Apple's offering by developing compatible apps. However, other absences stemmed from a lack of assurance – developers were reluctant to dedicate resources to platforms with minimal user adoption. This hesitancy, evident in the mere 2,000 apps developed for the Vision Pro as disclosed by Apple, spoke volumes about the device's lukewarm reception thus far.

As time unfolded, it became evident that Apple's pace in updating its proprietary offerings for the Vision Pro had been sluggish. One such offering, a series of "immersive videos" captured using specialized 3D cameras and distributed through Apple TV, seemed to lag behind. These videos, which included a prehistoric nature documentary and a "rehearsal room" clip featuring Alicia Keys and her band performing a song, were designed to showcase the Vision Pro's high-definition graphics and "spatial audio" capabilities, and were among the most compelling experiences on the device.

However, Apple failed to maintain a consistent release schedule for these immersive videos. As users exhausted the initial offerings, they found themselves primarily consuming the same  two-dimensional content they would on a TV or iPad. 

While occasionally donning the Vision Pro to watch a cinematic spectacle like "Dune: Part Two", a basketball court-sized screen experience, the novelty quickly wore off, and the hassle outweighed the benefits for most users.

Undoubtedly, the Vision Pro is a remarkable technological achievement. Those who had the opportunity to experience the device firsthand were awestruck by its futuristic nature. However, if Apple's intention was to position the Vision Pro as a niche entertainment device, that was a strategic decision within the company's purview.

However, if Apple's ambition is for the Vision Pro to resonate with the masses, significant changes are imperative. The company should consider lowering the price point, even if it means initially selling the headsets at a loss. Addressing bugs, refining rough edges, and releasing a steady stream of immersive content should also be priorities. Most importantly, Apple needs to identify and foster potential "killer apps" – groundbreaking games, productivity tools, and entertainment experiences that fully exploit the Vision Pro's unique capabilities. These could provide compelling incentives for consumers to invest in the device, despite its $3,500 price tag.

It is fair to acknowledge that the Vision Pro is still in its infancy, and history has shown that other Apple offerings required a generation or two to gain traction. The Apple Watch initially struggled when positioned as a high-end fashion accessory, only to find its niche once fitness tracking emerged as the killer feature. The company has repeatedly emphasized that it views the Vision Pro as an early experiment – "tomorrow's technology today," as CEO Tim Cook put it – but it is not yet a fully realized product.

Apple appears committed to iterating and improving the Vision Pro over time. However, bolder moves are necessitated in the near term if the company wishes to generate mainstream adoption, rather than allowing this pioneering device to languish as an overpriced novelty reserved solely for tech enthusiasts.

Lingering apprehensions surface as the Vision Pro appears to have entered a perilous state of limbo. No longer Apple's shiniest new endeavor – that mantle now belongs to the AI realm, which Wall Street craves and users eagerly anticipate. Nor is it one of Apple's established cash cows, like the iPhone or iPad, which consumers readily embrace even with modest improvements.

How to fix Apple Vision Pro. Courtesy of: 618Media

For the Vision Pro to realize its full potential, it requires heightened attention and a more profound vision from Apple's management. The company must address fundamental questions that remain unanswered:

• What is the true purpose of this device?
• How can it enhance users' lives or boost their productivity to justify its $3,500 price tag compared to alternatives?
• What capabilities does it possess that laptops or large TVs cannot match?

Failure to address these queries may condemn the Vision Pro to obsolescence. It would be disheartening to witness the emergence of fellow early adopters, the "Vision Bros," as a brave but ultimately misguided tribe of tech enthusiasts who gambled on a futuristic technology that failed to take flight, akin to the fate of Google Glass.

At the time of this recording, it was revealed on the Fast Company website that Apple is reportedly suspending work on the Vision Pro 2. The plan is to work on a less-expensive version that is supposed to be released next year. An Apple spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to Fast Company‘s request for comment. Stay tune.

What can we learn from this story? What's the take away?

Apple must do a course-correction. The Vision Pro is an ambitious and pioneering product that risks fading into irrelevance without a clearer purpose and unwavering nurturing from its creators. My hope is that Apple will rise to the challenge and steer this innovative offering towards the success it can be.

Well, there you go, my friends; that's life, I swear

For further information regarding the material covered in this episode, I invite you to visit my website, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, for show notes and the episode transcript.

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