Using Apple Vision Pro: What It’s Actually Like!

Review of the Apple Vision Pro VR Headset

The Apple Vision Pro is a high-end virtual reality headset with a unique form factor.
The headset is made of metal and glass, giving it a premium feel but also making it relatively heavy.
It features a precisely machined aluminum frame, fans for cooling, and buttons similar to an Apple Watch.
The headset also has speakers that are pointed directly at the ears, providing immersive sound but also allowing sound leakage.
The front of the headset has a large glass panel, an OLED display, and a variety of sensors including depth sensors, infrared illuminators, lidar scanners, and RGB cameras.
Inside the headset, there are additional sensors for eye tracking and displaying a representation of the user's eyes on the outside of the headset.

Apple VR Headset Features and Specifications

The Apple VR headset is well-made and high-end but heavy to wear on the face.
The headset weighs 638 grams, slightly less than the plastic Meta Quest Pro.
The battery is removed from the headset, making it more comfortable to wear and lean against objects.
However, this also means dealing with a cable running up to the head and front-weighted design.
The battery has a capacity of 3,366 milliamp hours, smaller than expected for its size.
It comes with a non-removable four-foot cable and a proprietary connector that locks to the headset securely.
The headset does not have an on/off switch, and the only way to turn it off is by twisting and unplugging the cable.
Battery life with the included battery is two to four hours, in line with other VR headsets.
To extend battery life, users can plug the battery into a USB-C port or daisy chain another battery.

Introduction to Using the Vision Pro Headset

The Vision Pro headset utilizes eyes and hands as the primary input method.
The headset goes through a calibration process upon first use, adjusting the distance between the lenses and scanning the user's hands.
The user is then prompted to look at dots around the screen and tap their fingers together for selection.
The headset allows for hand placement anywhere within its field of view, as long as the fingers touch together.
The spatial positioning lock of the headset is impressive, with objects appearing to float in 3D space and remaining locked regardless of head or body movement.
The Vision OS interface is similar to iPad OS but with a more glassy and 3D feel.
The app drawer can be accessed by hitting the digital crown, and app selection is done by looking at the desired icon and pinching fingers together.
Scrolling is done by pinching and grabbing in the air and pulling as if on a string.

Overview of Vision OS and Passthrough Features of Apple's VR Headset

The VR headset utilizes Vision OS to create a realistic and immersive experience.
The passthrough feature allows users to see the space around them through cameras on the headset.
The passthrough feature provides a high-quality and real-time view of the surroundings.
The headset's pixel density, 90 hertz refresh rate, and dynamic range of the cameras contribute to a lifelike viewing experience.
The R1 chip processes the passthrough data and ensures low latency.
Objects and texts that are super close up may appear blurry, but overall, the viewing experience is impressive.
Users can switch between passthrough and fully immersive VR experiences by rotating the digital crown.

Features and quirks of the Apple Vision Pro

Apple has built relaxing scenic environments in the Vision Pro, resembling real locations like Mount Hood.
The UI includes a control center that can be accessed by physically turning your head up and looking at an arrow that appears above.
Text input can be done through three methods: hunting and pecking the virtual keyboard, looking at the keys and pinching to select, or using voice commands.
There are two types of apps on the Vision Pro: those specifically built for it to take advantage of its features, and iPhone and iPad apps that are compatible.
The stock apps on the Vision Pro, like Apple Music, are designed to fully utilize the device's capabilities.

Overview of Vision Pro's apps and features

Vision Pro has a new material design layout with a sorting menu on the left-hand side.
Media apps like Apple TV and Disney+ come pre-installed and offer immersive viewing experiences.
The Photos app allows for panoramic photo viewing with a parallax effect.
Third-party apps like Sky Guide and Jig Space take advantage of Vision Pro's capabilities for interactive experiences.
Keynote offers an environment for practicing presentations with immersive visuals.
There are already a variety of apps in the App Store compatible with Vision Pro.
Non-native apps in the Compatible Apps folder look like iPad apps and offer familiar functionality.

Features and limitations of the Vision Pro app on iPad

Some popular apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify are not available on the Vision Pro app.
The browser feature allows users to access content that works on the browser, such as watching YouTube videos in 4K.
The Vision Pro app integrates with the user's Apple ID, pulling in services and content from other Apple devices.
Users can access iMessages, photos, notes, and other Apple services on the Vision Pro app.
A standout feature is the ability to connect to a Mac and use it as a virtual display within the headset.
The virtual display allows users to control their Mac using the Vision Pro app, with the option to resize and place other Vision Pro apps around the Mac screen.
This feature offers convenience and ease of use for Mac users.

Features of the Vision Pro Headset

Editing videos on the plane with a blacked-out display and customizable screen size.
Need to remember to look directly at the item you want to control.
Limitation of only being able to use one virtual monitor at a time.
Unique feature of Personas, with eyes on the outside of the headset.
Eyes on the outside are not see-through but a representation of the wearer's eyes.
Eyes indicate if the wearer can see the person outside in passthrough mode.
Eyes are covered with a glowing animation when in an immersive experience and cannot see the surroundings.

Creating and Customizing Your Persona for the Vision Pro Headset

The Vision Pro headset allows for communication with people outside of the immersive environment.
Through the headset, a fog-like effect can be adjusted to reveal the eyes of the person you are speaking to.
To enhance the appearance of the eyes, a lenticular film is used to create a 3D depth effect.
A digital representation of your face, called your Persona, is created by scanning and registering your face.
The Persona includes your eyes and can be customized with different lighting options and skin tone adjustments.

Impressions of Vision Pro and FaceTime on the headset

Glasses can be added to the persona even if the user is not wearing glasses in real life.
The eyes may not appear very bright or clear, especially for users with darker skin tones.
The tracking of micro expressions and movements is impressive but can be slightly unsettling, as it is not quite human-like.
The Persona feature allows the use of the headset as a camera feed for apps like FaceTime.
FaceTime calls on the Vision Pro create glassy windows floating in space, with the angle of the viewer matching the angle seen by the person being viewed.
Hand gestures made in the headset are tracked and appear at the correct angle towards the person being gestured at.

Review of the Vision Pro

The Vision Pro offers spatial audio, allowing voices to come from the direction of the person speaking.
The avatars or Personas in the Vision Pro are well-developed, but still have some weaknesses, particularly in terms of hair and flowing objects.
FaceTime on the Vision Pro is considered the most futuristic and well-thought-out experience.
The Vision Pro is a young category in tech and offers a refreshing change from the slow iteration of mature categories like smartphones and laptops.
The full review will cover use cases, strengths, weaknesses, philosophy, and pricing of the Vision Pro.

Review of Vision Pro Headset

Upsides of Vision Pro headset: - Immersion and placement in space are impressive. - Eye tracking and hand control features are highly effective. - Passthrough feature enhances user experience. - Ecosystem provides a seamless integration of features. - Spatial audio provides an immersive sound experience.