It’s been almost a week since Apple’s first spatial computing device, Apple Vision Pro, hit the market, and reviews have been rolling in. As a brand-new category, Apple has put seven years of effort into it, pouring over 5,000 patents into everything from the chips and the display to the AI capabilities needed for gesture interactions and spatial mapping.

For Tim Cook, this is also the most significant project of his career since taking over from Steve Jobs.

So, what is the Apple Vision Pro? What can you do with the Vision Pro headset? Here’s everything you need to know about the Apple Vision Pro!

What Is Apple Vision Pro?

Bulky Goggles-Like Design

The Apple Vision Pro’s chassisPro’schassis looks like a high-end pair of ski goggles. This is the first thing that you notice about it.

But the Apple Vision Pro is bulky. My regular glasses weigh less than an ounce, yet this device weighs a full pound – it’s like wearing an actual soccer ball on your face.

Additionally, most people might prefer dual loop straps, which can be strapped to the top and back of the head for more comfortable and balanced wear.

However, the Vision Pro sports a single adjustable strap across the top, a ‘digital crown’ at the back—much larger than the one on the Apple Watch—and another digital crown up top acting as the home button.

It was comfortable for the first 10 minutes, but as with regular glasses, I found that I needed to keep adjusting the size of the headset. After about 25 minutes, I felt like my neck was getting a full workout. Considering a big part of the VR experience is watching 3D movies, I can’t help but wonder how most users are supposed to withstand carrying this weight on their head for a full hour—let alone the extended three-hour saga of ‘Avatar.’

The Most Advanced Consumer Electronics Device Ever Created?

In terms of design, the Apple Vision Pro is not new—at first glance, it looks similar to the VR headsets, AR glasses, and MR all-in-one headsets that have continued to hit the market in recent years.

However, Apple’s official press release describes Vision Pro as “a revolutionary spatial computing device.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook also said: “Just as the Mac introduced us to personal computing and the iPhone to mobile computing, the Vision Pro will introduce us to spatial computing.”

From these statements, it’s clear that Apple views the Vision Pro as a new kind of “computer”—even aiming to set the standard and establish the rules.

The reason behind the claim that Apple is defining standards with Vision Pro can refer to how Apple has historically controlled the core chips and systems in both Macs and iPhones—essentially writing their own rules. With Vision Pro, for example, Apple has launched a new operating system, VisionOS, obviously with intentions to be a rule-maker once again.

In this way, the Apple Vision Pro can be considered a “personal computer you can wear on your head” or a “wearable Mac,” especially when used with the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad.

What sets it apart from traditional personal computers (PCs) and mobile computers (smartphones) is its independence from peripheral devices, like keyboards and touch-based interactions. This is because it works with audiovisual systems, can be worn, and can be controlled by eye tracking, hand movements, and voice recognition.

Cool Things You Can Do With the Apple Vision Pro

The Apple Vision Pro can do everything previous VR headsets, AR glasses, and MR all-in-one headsets could. Here are a few cool things you can do with the Apple Vision Pro:

• Take virtual tours without leaving your home.

• Browse the web and watch streaming videos.

• Make FaceTime calls.

• Play Steam games from your PC.

• 3D avatars.

• Speak with subtitles.

But the above is just entertainment.

Apple doesn’t intend to make the Vision Pro just a personal entertainment device; it’s also a productivity tool.

For example, the Vision Pro comes preloaded with productivity apps like Keynote and Safari.

3D video creation and playback also offer new creative spaces for content creators in today’s video-centric world. Like the 3D interface of visionOS, this could break free from the physical screen size limitations. Multitasking and video editing could become easier as well.

FaceTime calls can present participants in life-size windows with spatial audio, offering a better remote meeting experience. For instance, people in different locations could collaborate on and explain a presentation.

What Could the Apple Vision Pro Bring to the Table?

In my opinion, the users will eventually answer that question. For now, let’s talk about what Apple Vision Pro is trying to bring.

Simply put, Apple Vision Pro offers an immersive experience. It melds our physical world with the digital content we’ve previously accessed on PCs and smartphones.

Well, you can think of it as putting people inside the computer or bringing apps, movies, and games out of the screen and into the real world.

And really, several brands have been working on this already.

In this evolution, we might need fewer devices.

For example, video editing often requires a multi-screen setup, which means buying more monitors. However, visionOS’s 3D interface doesn’t limit screen sizes and supports multitasking, so you might not need to buy extra panels.

Merging the digital and real world is the ambition of leading tech companies, and Apple is no exception.

The outlook is promising, but the timing might not be ripe in the short term. Since headsets haven’t taken off just yet, the Apple Vision Pro is only expected to sell 300,000 to 400,000 units in its first year.

Even though Apple built the Vision Pro with the idea of a “spatial computing device” and industry-leading technology and features, this doesn’t mean Apple will quickly achieve what other brands haven’t managed to do yet.

Final Words

In my opinion, the Apple Vision Pro is the most innovative Apple product since the first-generation iPhone. The Apple Vision Pro is absolutely revolutionary, and it’s a revolution in progress.

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