Apple recently released their new mixed-reality headset, called the Apple Vision Pro. The headset, aiming to combine the outside world with the virtual world using holographic displays, has received a lot of attention and praise. However, after the hype dies down, will it become lasting technology or will it fade away, like many other attempts at mixed-reality?
Virtual reality (fully computerized display) and augmented reality (a display of the outside world enhanced with digital alterations) have been major topics in technology for a very long time. Mixed-reality has the capability to swap between both virtual and augmented reality. Many big technology companies have capitalized on this mixed-reality trend, resulting in the Microsoft HoloLens and the Meta Quest, among others. Now, Apple is stepping into this market with the Apple Vision Pro.
In a general sense, the Apple Vision Pro has the functionality of an iPhone integrated into mixed reality. The headset gives users an immersive experience where they can interact with virtual applications integrated into the outside world. Users can open app windows, resize, and drag them around the environment as they please, making multitasking much easier and more user-friendly. For example, users can arrange multiple windows in front of them while working at their desk, allowing them to switch between email, documents, and spreadsheets without being confined to one screen. At the gym, users can bring up a display of their workout statistics in front of them while on the treadmill. This feature also includes entertainment, such as streaming services, so people can stream movies and television anywhere with no limitations.
When using video apps such as FaceTime with the Apple Vision Pro, Apple creates a “dynamic, natural representation of (the user’s) face,” called a Persona, which tracks movements and facial expressions. The Apple Vision Pro also uses a feature called EyeSight, which creates a digital render of the user’s eyes to display to others around them. If the user is not currently engaged with an app, the digital representation of their eyes will appear to others. Otherwise, an animation will play instead. Apple intends for these features to break the social isolationism that virtual reality is currently known for.
There are some limitations with the Apple Vision Pro. The technology is very capable of capturing the world around a user, but it is only a convincing digital representation. When a user is using the Apple Vision Pro, cameras in the front of the headset capture the outside world and translate it to the virtual world that the user is seeing. Therefore, the headset does not produce a perfect view of the outside world, and is susceptible to perspective and lighting issues. These differences bring up crucial safety concerns that need to be considered when using the headset. Unlike actual glasses, the Apple Vision Pro is not safe to use while driving or performing any other task that requires pure, unadulterated focus. Users have also reported headaches and eye strain after prolonged use of the headset. Furthermore, the headset is very heavy, which can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. Some users are returning their devices because of these issues, although it is not known how many people are doing this.
If you want to experience this groundbreaking new technology, you will have to pay a hefty price. The Apple Vision Pro currently costs $3,500 in the United States, which is the equivalent of multiple iPhone 15s. It is too early to tell whether the Apple Vision Pro will revolutionize technology and become normalized in society. Still, Apple’s high-tech new headset offers us a glimpse at a possible mixed-reality future.
Sophomore Nicholas Carpenter is the News Editor. His email is ncarpent@fandm.edu.