Apple Vision Pro is here!

My thoughts on this technological marvel

Author

Rafa TV
February 03, 2024

This week we will take a break with our best guide to understand AI and don't get behind in the future. Why? You don’t know?

Apple just released the Apple Vision Pro! Bye-bye reality, hello future!

What follows are some of my thoughts after watching all the videos I could find about it.

I hope you will enjoy it.

And as always, at the bottom, you have a selection of the news of the week to stay updated and spark your curiosity, as well as cool tools and lessons that can enhance your life.

That’s damn right!

Hello Future

Apple Vision Pro (AVP) is Apple's first venture into the augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) space markets, even if they call it spatial computing.

What a lesson in good marketing!

First, they parallel the iPhone announcement with the Vision Pro, showcasing the value of the first iPhone being very expensive but making it convenient by combining three devices into one. It seemed cheaper and better.

In the new video, they are saying, "This replaces your 43-inch monitor." "This replaces going to the theater or your large TV screen with Dolby Surround." "This replaces having to hold a phone in your hand or look into a phone to see your friends; you see them in front of you."

Second, they are clear with their branding; now, everything is spatial. They created a new category, spatial computing, instead of AR or VR, even though this is clearly a VR headset.

Third, the product marketing video is amazing because it is a very complex product to sell to mainstream users, offering a new user experience unlike anything we have seen before. By focusing on the experience it offers rather than just the technology, Apple aims to reshape how we perceive augmented reality (AR). They want to be pioneers, as they were with the iPhone, and change the way we interact with the digital world.

Is this going to change the way we work? Probably. The way we interact with others? Probably. The way we over-stimulate our fingers, arms, and neck muscles? Probably.

Besides, we are going to be using our brains in a completely different way; that means potential:

  • Fatigue,

  • Overwhelm,

  • and Overstimulation.

From Movie Theaters to Living Rooms: The Evolution of Entertainment

Having studied filmmaking, I knew that the size of the screen profoundly influences the impact of a story. Cinema was invented to be seen in movie theaters; at that time, they didn't have any idea of what was coming. Nobody would have foreseen how many people would consume TV shows or even movies on small screens. Now, with the Apple Vision Pro, we could choose any size we desire, all with an immersive experience that is out of this world.

However, this advancement poses challenges to traditional cinema. Will people still frequent movie theaters? Is the shared human experience worth $15?

The potential for VR and AR gaming.

The adoption of VR and AR is coming to an inflection point; all the companies are going to start working on products to get a piece of the cake that Apple is pushing.

This commercial competition or rivalry between companies is going to push advances, and the ones that have more money to invest, like the gaming industry will (hopefullly) experience a big change.

Let's talk about video games. In the last 20 years, we have seen amazing video games, but I have to say that nothing has changed the way we play. The feelings I had with Mario 64, for example, of change, something different, of new possibilities, and excitement for the unknown, haven't been repeated.

Is the Vision Pro going to be the spark that makes VR and AR gaming be adopted by more consumers and encourage more investment in this game format, potentially creating a new era of gaming, like Mario VR?

On the other hand, I don't think this has been made for moving or jumping around; this is not being presented like the Quest 3.

The marketing campaign is clear on that; this product is aimed at being used for day-to-day activities like working, cooking, spending time with family, taking videos, and consuming media, right?

"Apple Vision Pro: Changing Lives or Just Another Gadget?"

Is the Apple Vision Pro going to be The New Normal?

A lot of people love to use their phones to take pictures. Now, with AVP, you can take 3D pictures, or spatial pictures…

This kind of memory machine made me a bit uncomfortable because it feels kind of bittersweet.

Soon, we will use these glasses all day, recording every second of our days, allowing us to go back to specific moments in our lives (rewind app in steroids). We will be able to have conversations with loved ones, even those who have passed away.

I don't know; I already struggle with rewatching pictures of the past. But anyway... let's all live in the past; Buddha would be happy.

Work, Productivity, and Physical Limitations

Is it really going to be the future of productivity and work? The AVP is not only a new OS; it is an entirely new workspace where you can have infinite screens floating around instead of a MacBook screen or desktop screen.

Imagine working from different locations or on a plane with 5 huge screens. This is UNREAL.

A lot of people are hyped about working with it, but for opening documents and listening to music, the kind of work or tasks that rely heavily on 2D screens or multitasking, acknowledge that this device may not be the best fit. At least for now.

Besides, everybody says it is heavy. The reality is that you cannot wear this thing for more than 2-3 hours. So, if you have to be in meetings all day, good luck.

The potential for a new interaction with specific and technical tasks related to specific domains, allowing a high-end experience in medical training or artistic ways that require spatial interactions like 3D animation, digital sculpture, or 3D painting, is going to be amazing.

AR and VR/spatial computing will change the way we work, learn, and interact with our real world through the digital world.

From this, new forms of art will appear. New formats, apps, experiences, etc. Another activities will disappear. Like the iPhone did to reading a normal book.

The $3499 Question: Is Apple's Vision Pro Worth It?

Do you think the price is too much?

Let’s remember that this is a product for early adopters and tech fans who can allow themselves to have a glimpse into the future.

First, let's look at the value: as we have seen, it has the potential to replace tech that costs a lot for a much better experience. Like screens, for example.

Second, this is a piece of art; it has two chips: M2, basically a next-generation laptop, and R2, specifically designed for spatial computing.

It has an amazing new technology of spatial sound and cameras everywhere, inside and outside. The material or finished product is polished and beautiful. Video Pass Through is the best you have ever experienced.

It is a technological challenge for a company loaded with money and talent that executes ultra-high tech exceptionally well. To see that these ideas or products are not going to become mainstream?

I repeat, this is a product for early adopters; the first iPhone was very expensive and didn't work as well as it was supposed to at the beginning. The biggest problems Vision Pro has are battery life and weight. Are these impediments going to stop it from going mainstream in time? No.

Apple is the best company in the world at building remarkable hardware and software together, and they want to be the pioneers of new tech trends and ways of living, like they did with the iPhone. They aimed to be pioneers, shaping the future. Maybe a creepy future...

The “human eye screen” is creepy as fuck.

First of all, this is a marketing strategy, again; putting a glass screen on an apple differentiates it from other competitors, allowing it to be cooler. You are going to know that is an apple when you see a human being walking down the street with ski goggles.

It is a shame that this differentiation strategy will cost customers a fucking ton of money, though.

Apple knows that alienation is a worry for the buyer. Putting this creepy glass screen is an open statement about it: we want to solve the problem and make this a tool that will connect us with people.

It is interesting to see how they are encouraging social interaction and shared experiences, even though it feels like this is burying us in digital isolation.

Is it going to make people even more lonely? I don't know... Probably, if we adapt it as we did for iPhones.

The future of iPhones is to be replaced by glasses/lenses/brain chips that show us the digital interface without the need to use our hands or bend our necks, interacting with it using our voice and eyesight.

Our interaction with tech is going to feel more close and intimate because there is not going to be a physical barrier between us.

There is not going to be a physical barrier between us, only an invisible and deeper digital one completely tailored to the user 24/7. Is there anything we use all day that is not going to have an effect on our human experiences and interactions?

Ok, this is starting to stress me out. Some good in here?

You will be able to take 20 minutes of rest in the Everest and really think you are there. Total immersion.

Will it give us back our capacity for contemplation and ability to engage in meditative and deep thinking, lost by multi-tasking, constant connectivity, distractiveness, and overstimulation?

It will democratise experiences like travelling, concerts, sports games, museums, etc.

Some believe Apple Vision Pro could revolutionize education by creating immersive learning experiences.

Apple Vision Pro's potential for medical therapy and training is a game-changer in healthcare. I am sure there are going to be thousands of applications that will make us feel safe while we are facing the first steps of discomfort, fear, or trauma.

Is it an invasive technology with potential privacy concerns?

Privacy concerns... come on! People with phones glued to their hands non-stop, allowing big corporations to have first-hand information about what we are doing all day, at what time, our tastes, etc. doesn't feel invasive?

Conclusion

This amazing piece of technology reminded me of how much I love technology and how many hours I am going to be glued to a screen.

This overwhelmingly seductive new digital world is going to make our brains explode in all senses, with the potential for excessive use, leading to isolation.

Opinions vary on whether Apple Vision Pro will encourage or hinder face-to-face social interactions. But it looks like creating an AI persona to have digital interaction with other humans is going to be the future; at least, that's where Apple and Meta are putting their money.

With the iPhone, we experienced a total immersion in the digital world, mentally interacting with social media and physically wearing them all day long and night, close to us. Imagine with a comfortable, lighter Apple Vision Pro.

We are already overwhelmed with inputs, and we need some quiet, disconnection, or meditation. Now we have another incredibly fascinating tech that has 2 screens at 4 inches in front of our eyes. That is fantastic.

Thank you for your ability to focus, patience, and time.

My News Picks

  • Hello automation!

  • Apple Vision Pro, first contact.

And that’s all. I hope these insights, news, and tools help you prepare for the future!

Have a really nice week.

Stay kind.

Rafa TV