Post WWDC Thoughts on The Vision Pro

I had some additional thoughts that didn’t quite figure into the impressions model of the previous post. I finally got the chance to rewatch it and there are some tidbits and omissions that I think were very interesting. Sometimes it really is just about what they DON’T tell you. Apple is mysterious like that sometimes…

• Rewatching the video, it is suggested that the Vision Pro LightSeal is swappable for different sizes (Link). I wonder how this will work. Of course this being the low yield product it is, the obvious answer is that the Headset may strongly suggest a fitting at an Apple Store.
• The headband looks like it will simply be the most comfortable one ever shipped on a stock headset device. Also appearing to come in different sizes or even different variations (Link). Perhaps we will see other first party designs or a third party market will spring up to accommodate different tastes.
• Interestingly, there is no overhead strap. It makes sense given the lightness but also to save you from the dreaded reverse mohawk that one often gets from wearing their Quest.
• Digital Crown has quietly become one of Apple’s great tactile control interfaces in the vein of the click wheel and mute switch. Its inclusion is always a pleasure and I see signs it is now being adopted in software as well. The new Final Cut for iPad has a half circle software click wheel that pops out to assist with fine tune adjustments.
• No specs provided regarding storage size but given that the price is described as ‘starting’ at $3499, I think its safe to say that there will be higher storage configurations.
• No field of view (FOV) info either. Although I cant imagine it being bad. If Apple wants us to use this to watch big screen movies or work for hours with our laptop screens, they simply cannot constrain the peripheral vision or it will be worse than just working in real life.
• There is no mention of a carrying case or any accessory for that matter. Accessories are alluded to, different straps, different face pads, but none in sight. Even in product shots, the Vision Pro rests on the table open to the elements. I wonder if this is so Apple can focus the energy and attention around pitching the platform
• External battery is a unique choice, the connector on the Headset side looks similar to the iMac cable but seems new. I wonder if the cable is detachable on the battery side. On initial inspection I would expect not.
• When I first heard the rumors that the battery was going to be a separate unit, I thought that it was the least Apple-like thing I have ever heard. However, after using the Magic Leap at CES which also takes the approach of trying to move as much weight off the head as possible, I am fully on board. The difference in head comfort is night and day.
• Notably, one thing Apple did not omit was the price. I had a thought that since this was clearly nowhere near production and with the focus being firmly on the platform, Apple may want to be more mysterious with the price to let hype build a bit. After all, that is what Apple did with the Apple Watch teasing the price announcement out for months.
• A release of early next year is quite interesting as rumor was that Apple was hoping to get this in before the holidays. It seems the reality of scaling production on what is likely to be the most complex piece of hardware Apple has ever shipped means that this will likely hit in Q1 of next year instead.

One final thought which may be controversial. I had this thought during the event that there is a philosophical difference between Apple and the rest of the industry. Today, Apple brought a computing platform to a console fight. In comparison, everything we have seen before has been essentially designed and geared to gamers who plug their headset into powerful rigs in their den and immerse themselves. The Vision Pro is a stab at what the future of general computing might look like. To become a real platform, this industry needs to push past gaming into the fields of productivity and communications. My money is on Apple for being the one to convince us.