Dear reader, unless you absolutely must have the latest and greatest gadgets, you may want to hold off for now on preordering Apple‘s newly announced Vision Pro augmented/virtual reality headset.
As an experienced technology analyst, I see 7 compelling reasons why average consumers should carefully weigh the pros and cons before spending $3,499 on this cutting-edge device. While the Vision Pro surely demonstrates innovative engineering, first generation products often undergo growing pains.
Below I dig deeper into each factor you should consider before your purchase:
1. Exorbitant Price for Unproven Value
There‘s no doubt you get high-end components for the price, but it remains unclear precisely how useful the Vision Pro will be in everyday life compared to your smartphone, computer, or next generation video game console available at a fraction of the cost. The price far exceeds existing consumer virtual reality products:
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| Vision Pro | $3,499 |
| Meta Quest Pro | $1,500 |
| Valve Index VR System | $999 |
And that staggering figure is before adding prescription lens inserts Apple says you can purchase separately.
As Timothy B. Lee wrote in The Washington Post, based on developer kits, "Apple’s headset could cost substantially more than anything currently on the market." So there is a real possibility early adopters end up overspending substantially for the actual utility the Vision Pro provides the average household.
2. Limited Content and Software Upon Release
It takes time for a platform to mature with a robust app ecosystem. Don‘t expect the thriving collections available on iPhones or iPads to be available right away.
While Apple itself and some partners will assuredly release compelling VR/AR experiences for the Vision Pro soon after launch, it may take months or years before you have a suite of apps that warrant daily use for entertainment, work, communication or utility purposes. Without that steady influx of fresh, high quality content, the Vision Pro risks collecting dust for early adopters.
3. Health and Safety Unknowns
Strapping a screen centimeters from your eyes for extended durations is an unnatural experience. Nausea, dizziness, eye strain are common side effects from prolonged VR usage. While Apple claims they designed the Vision Pro with user comfort in mind, no independent research has confirmed safe usage guidelines.
As Dr. Jon Reimer told CNET, virtual reality headsets potentially provide "a specific risk to kids whose nervous systems are still developing.” So if you have children eager to try Apple‘s latest gadget, exercise caution.
4. Few Meanwhile Alternatives for Comparison Shopping
This is Apple‘s first crack at a VR/AR headset, whereas other companies have offered evolving versions for years. That means:
- Apple does not have a track record you can review to predict potential issues
- There are limited competitive products to compare specs/features against before purchase
So consumers lack key information to determine if the Vision Pro warrants its astronomical cost given its capabilities on paper versus real-world performance. Unless Apple absolutely nails it upon launch with little room for execution issues (unlikely with first generation technology), you lose leverage to pressure Apple into addressing flaws quickly.
5. Unknown Reliability and Support Plans
On the plus side, Apple products typically sport high build quality and longevity. On the other hand, we know little about repair options or procedures for this entirely new device category. AppleCare+ terms remain undisclosed too.
If issues do crop up with certain components after initial use like with the butterfly keyboard problems affecting MacBooks, will extended support or reasonable repair costs be available? These open questions pose risks to customers investing day one.
6. Minimal True Social Potential (Initially)
Yes, Apple demonstrated Vision Pro users could interact via animated Memoji and share media in real-time thanks to integrated networking capabilities. Cute parlor trick, but such software social features hardly provide the richness of in-person interactions with friends, family, coworkers.
And because Apple has not indicated if any shared VR world or meeting spaces will be available at launch, the Vision Pro could ironically isolate users rather than bring them together as hoped if purchasing among only your inner circle.
7. Substantial Investment into an Uncertain Future
There’s little doubt that AR/VR technology will one day alter how we interface with computing systems and information. But Apple makes grand claims about pioneers shaping the trajectory of entire industries.
Well, most pioneers initially faced rather difficult journeys full of twists and turns. Is entering such uncharted territory worth the price day one rather than after standards crystallize and real must have use cases emerge? Paying to guide development is admirable, but average consumers with limited budgets may prefer waiting on the sidelines a generation until the platform matures.
The Vision Pro undoubtedly represents an engineering marvel by Apple to push forward augmented and virtual reality technologies. If money is no object and you relish early adopting bleeding edge gadgets despite limitation, by all means pick one up come 2024.
But for mainstream customers with plenty already on their financial plates, exercising some patience and skepticism seems warranted given all we still do not know about the Vision Pro’s real-world performance, content ecosystem, safety protocols, and ultimate influence consider its lofty price tag.
Apple devoutly worshippers surely need no such advice. But the average tech enthusiast may desire to carefully weigh all pros and cons before their household budgets gets consumed into this emerging frontier. Exciting? Absolutely. Yet also rife with risk until proven otherwise by time and independent scrutiny.
What technology concerns might you want addressed before buying into Apple’s Vision Pro headset? Let’s keep the conversation going!
