Apple Still Hasn't Discussed the Vision Pro's Weight and Optional Top Head Strap

[xnu]

Listening to Apple's marketing always seems to provide me with better understanding of their objectives.
Machine Learning = Helpful to me.
Artificial Intelligence = We kill me. I have seen enough movies.
Spatial Computer = Holodeck here I come.

 

[Digital Dude]

I’m usually a skeptic of high-end Apple products, but this one looks promising. Still not all that interested in being an early adopter of a first gen device. 🤔

 

[klasma]

You realize AR and XR headsets are on the market now, and people buy and wear them. This is one of those comments that will not age well ...

Mostly just gamers and enthusiasts, plus business use cases. It’s not clear that there’s a huge growth potential as long as the form factor doesn’t change substantially.

 

[wikiverse]

You realize AR and XR headsets are on the market now, and people buy and wear them. This is one of those comments that will not age well ...

Exactly. No one is using AR or VR headsets for general computing. VR headsets are for games, and even then, usually just gimmicky games like Beat Saber. Without a controller, most games won't port over to this easily because it's basically the Xbox Kinect controls but on your face. To ordinary people, this thing looks ridiculous, has no obvious reason for existing and costs as much as a macbook which can do all the same important practical functions.

3D televisions were also a thing and people bought them and used them. The Kinect existed.

Maybe if they can reduce the size to a normal pair of glasses and get the price under $1000, it will be something. But while it looks like a ridiculous snorkel mask, this will be a niche, over-priced product like the Segway or a 3D television. Sure, it might be the most advanced product in its category and a technical achievement, but it looks dorky and has not solved any of the actual issues like eye-strain or overheating when doing processor intensive tasks.

Apple might keep it around like the Mac Pro, but in its current form factor, this is super dorky and lame to the average person.

 

[maxfromdenmark]

I don’t care. I will instantly mount mine in a motorcycle helmet to protect my head against all bumps while running like a headless chicken.

 

[d686546s]

Will it come with a wi-fi snorkel antenna? That scene with the dad taking a video is creepy. Way more creepy than Google Glass ever was. Honestly, imagine that scenario in real life. Super weird. Just use your phone.

TBH this whole thing feels a bit like the Segway. Great, useful, and technologically advanced in theory, but in practice just clumsy, awkward and lame. If it was the size of a pair of glasses, then sure.

But strapping a snorkel mask to your head just to have a gimmicky way to do what you can already do on your phone or your macbook is kind of dorky and weird.

View attachment 2215538

As Community would say: Jesus wept! Worlds within worlds.

 

[Abazigal]

My guess is that it will be less of an issue assuming you have the vision pro fitted for your head first at an Apple Store before buying one. I suspect the reason for the extra strap on top is because Apple has not had the opportunity to customise the fit of the vision pro for the people invited to try it out during WWDC, and so the strap was designed to mitigate the impact of an imperfect fit.

 

[MuppetGate]

Obviously not easily solved but the worst part for me is that the headset can hardly be used by multiple people in a family since it needs to be adjusted for each person individually to work correctly

Could you not have one headset and then different fittings for members of the family? I assumed the inner padding layer was interchangeable.

 

[Rainshadow]

Exactly. No one is using AR or VR headsets for general computing. VR headsets are for games, and even then, usually just gimmicky games like Beat Saber. Without a controller, most games won't port over to this easily because it's basically the Xbox Kinect controls but on your face. To ordinary people, this thing looks ridiculous, has no obvious reason for existing and costs as much as a macbook which can do all the same important practical functions.

3D televisions were also a thing and people bought them and used them. The Kinect existed.

Maybe if they can reduce the size to a normal pair of glasses and get the price under $1000, it will be something. But while it looks like a ridiculous snorkel mask, this will be a niche, over-priced product like the Segway or a 3D television. Sure, it might be the most advanced product in its category and a technical achievement, but it looks dorky and has not solved any of the actual issues like eye-strain or overheating when doing processor intensive tasks.

Apple might keep it around like the Mac Pro, but in its current form factor, this is super dorky and lame to the average person.

I really wish people would learn that the “looks dorky” complaint wears off quick. iPad, iPhone (yes people said that looked dorky holding a brick to your ear), and AirPods.

It doesn’t look dorky, it looks new.

We can all debate the utility or value, but saying it’s not a good product because of looks has gotten VERY old.

 

[lkrupp]

Regarding the top head strap it’s another one of those damned if you do and damned if you don’t things. If the head strap is included tech blog forums will explode with rage over paying for something you don't want or need. If the head strap is optional tech blog forums with explode with rage over something that should be included being optional and, of course, too expensive.

 

[klasma]

My guess is that it will be less of an issue assuming you have the vision pro fitted for your head first at an Apple Store before buying one. I suspect the reason for the extra strap on top is because Apple has not had the opportunity to customise the fit of the vision pro for the people invited to try it out during WWDC, and so the strap was designed to mitigate the impact of an imperfect fit.

If this were accurate, the strap wouldn’t have appeared in the keynote’s marketing videos.

 

[klasma]

Could you not have one headset and then different fittings for members of the family? I assumed the inner padding layer was interchangeable.

It still means that you can’t just hand a family member the headset and have it fit. You first have to swap the light seal and/or the headband. That’s like having to change the phone case when you hand someone your iPhone.

 

[michael666]

This is the first version.

Apple Lisa
Memory: 1 MB
Storage: 5 MB
Display: 12 inch monochrome (720 x 360p)
Weight: 22 kg
Price equivalent: $30,000 ($9,995 when released)

View attachment 2215548

Too expensive! Too heavy! Not powerful enough! No one will ever buy something like this!

 

[Zest28]

MKBHD also said in his video that the thing was heavy and that he doubted that it would be very comfortable for over 2 hours.

Good thin the battery life is only 2 hours.

 

[MuppetGate]

It still means that you can’t just hand a family member the headset and have it fit. You first have to swap the light seal and/or the headband. That’s like having to change the phone case when you hand someone your iPhone.

That depends how difficult it is to change the seal and the headband.

 

[Alan Wynn]

Mostly just gamers and enthusiasts, plus business use cases. It’s not clear that there’s a huge growth potential as long as the form factor doesn’t change substantially.

In other words, there is a market today, and if the tech does not advance it might be limited, but if it does, then the market might be larger? Seems like a pretty common pattern for technology.

 

[klasma]

That depends how difficult it is to change the seal and the headband.

Same for the phone case analogy. It’s still something you have to do that makes sharing less convenient.

 

[klasma]

In other words, there is a market today, and if the tech does not advance it might be limited, but if it does, then the market might be larger? Seems like a pretty common pattern for technology.

Only if the tech changes in a way that broadens the appeal. As a counterexample, PC tech getting better doesn’t really make the gaming market larger. As I said, I believe the headset form factor would have to change substantially.

 

[MacWorld78]

• It looks so cool to have the Apple Vision Pro device.
• It's a really expensive device compared to any other AR/VR device on the market.
  
  
• This is purely speculative at this time for the following reasons:
  
  • It's obviously ridiculous to ask for an overpriced accessory such as the Head Strap, Lens Corrections, Battery Pack, and after-sales services.
  • These devices will last for about two hours (more or less), which is not enough time for Netflix binges or other activities.
  • The front and back will get dirty and smelly over time.
• The best thing is, I'm not going to pay $3,499 for yearly updates just for small incremental improvements.

 

[Quu]

They should have removed that outward-facing screen and all the glass that accompany it on the front to make it lighter.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Obviously not easily solved but the worst part for me is that the headset can hardly be used by multiple people in a family since it needs to be adjusted for each person individually to work correctly

There’s also a custom 3D printed spacer that goes into the fabric that touches your face in order to make the fit the best it can be for you. Question is whether Apple will print out multiple people’s spacers for one device.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

My guess is that it will be less of an issue assuming you have the vision pro fitted for your head first at an Apple Store before buying one. I suspect the reason for the extra strap on top is because Apple has not had the opportunity to customise the fit of the vision pro for the people invited to try it out during WWDC, and so the strap was designed to mitigate the impact of an imperfect fit.

Then why was the top strap in Apple’s video? If it was just for WWDC attendees why have it on their marketing video?

 

[PghMike4]

Will it come with a wi-fi snorkel antenna? That scene with the dad taking a video is creepy. Way more creepy than Google Glass ever was. Honestly, imagine that scenario in real life. Super weird. Just use your phone.

TBH this whole thing feels a bit like the Segway. Great, useful, and technologically advanced in theory, but in practice just clumsy, awkward and lame. If it was the size of a pair of glasses, then sure.

But strapping a snorkel mask to your head just to have a gimmicky way to do what you can already do on your phone or your macbook is kind of dorky and weird.

View attachment 2215538

Yeah, I have Apple devices for computers and phones, but this is just leaving me cold. I'm not even interested in trying it. Maybe something with the google glass form factor would be interesting, but giant goggles? Bleh.

 

[Orange Bat]

Apple should go into straps as a fashionable accessories more generally.

Introducing Apple Strap! This strap is the best strap we’ve ever made!

 

[wikiverse]

I really wish people would learn that the “looks dorky” complaint wears off quick. iPad, iPhone (yes people said that looked dorky holding a brick to your ear), and AirPods.

It doesn’t look dorky, it looks new.

We can all debate the utility or value, but saying it’s not a good product because of looks has gotten VERY old.

Tell that to Segway.