Will The Apple Vision Pro Debut Help Deliver VR/AR’s “iPhone Moment”?

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TL;DR:

• The Apple Vision Pro headset began shipping on Feb 2, 2024 with a $3,500 price tag
• Early reviews praise visuals/graphics but question real-world utility
• Estimated 180K preorders so far, Apple hopes to sell 400K units this year
• Key to its success will be spatial computing use cases catching on over time

Ready to experience the next seismic shift in technology? You just need to strap a fancy new $3,500 AR headset onto your face.

The new Apple Vision Pro debut is February 2nd and its release is spearheading Apple’s entry into a new computing frontier they call “spatial computing.” Part virtual reality headset, part augmented reality display, the futuristic Apple Vision Pro headset aims to bring 3D visuals and immersive digital AR/VR experiences right before your eyes.

But can Apple make good on the years of hype and deliver spatial computing’s “iPhone moment”? Or will the Vision Pro fade into tech’s graveyard of overly-ambitious flops, remembered more for its clunky battery pack than any killer app?

“It feels like we’ve reached into the future and grabbed this product,” explained Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak. “You’re putting the future on your face.”

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Judging by early reviews, the Vision Pro shows glimmers of a revolutionary device still wrapped in a somewhat impractical package. Its crisp 23-million pixel displays and eye-tracking navigation earn rave reviews, with some testers claiming regular screens felt boring by comparison afterwards.

“I would say my experience was religious,” gushed Avatar director James Cameron. The Apple Vision Pro is that much of a game-changer.

But beyond exhilarating demos, doubts linger on whether Apple’s first-gen headset solves any real-world problems. At 1.5 pounds, it packs quite a heft on your head. Missing support for major apps like YouTube or Netflix further limits its current usefulness. And the estimated 180,000 pre-orders represent only a tiny sliver of Apple’s installed base.

Still, Apple execs seem confident that once people slide on the Vision Pro, compelling uses will come. And some experts agree.

“This is a product that convinces people by letting them experience it,” said communications and marketing expert Amy Vernon. “It’s very much like the first time you ever saw an iPhone.”

Only time will tell whether their optimism pays off. But the Vision Pro’s sheer processing muscle, coupled with Apple’s design pedigree, make it arguably the most credible contender yet to crack the elusive VR/AR mainstream.

If nothing else, it may gently pull our collective gaze back up from our phones. As tech enthusiast Frank Radice commented, “Just imagine how much ‘eye contact’ in Silicon Valley could change because of the Vision Pro headset.”

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