Apple Vision Pro Hands-On: This Is the Headset I'd Use to Watch 3D 'Avatar'
I experienced incredible fidelity, surprising video quality and a really smooth interface. Apple's first mixed reality headset nails those, but lots of questions remain.
I couldn't wear my glasses during the demo. Apple's headset does not support glasses, instead relying on Zeiss custom inserts to correct wearers' vision. Apple did manage to easily find lenses that fit my vision well enough so that everything seemed crystal-clear, which is not an easy task. Also, we adjusted the fit and tuned spatial audio for my head, a process that will be finessed when the headset releases in 2024.
From there, I did my demos seated, mostly, and found myself surprised from the start. The passthrough video camera quality of this headset is good -- really, really good. Not as good as my own vision, but good enough that I could see the room well, see people in it with me, see my watch notifications easily on my wrist. The only headset that's done this previously is the Varjo XR-3, and Apple's display and cameras may rival that one.
Apple's floating grid of apps appears when I press the top digital crown, which autocenters the home screen to wherever I am looking. I set up eye tracking, which worked like many other VR headsets I've used: I looked at glowing dots as musical notes played, and a successful chime when it all worked.
From there, the interface was surprisingly fluid. Looking at icons or interface options slightly enlarges them, or changes how bold they appear. Tapping with my fingers while looking at something opens an app.
I've used tons of hand-tracking technology on headsets like the Hololens 2 and Meta Quest 2 and Pro, and usually there's a lot of hand motion required. Here, I could be really lazy. I pinched to open icons even while my hand was resting in my lap, and it worked.
Scrolling involves pinching and pulling with my fingers; again, pretty easy to do. I resized windows by moving my hand to throw a window across the room or pin it closer to me. I opened multiple apps at once, including Safari, Messages and Photos. It was easy enough to scroll around, although sometimes my eye tracking needed a bit of extra concentration to pull off.
I was in a movie theater last December watching Avatar: The Way of Water in 3D, and I said to myself: "Wow, this is an immersive film I'd love to watch in next-gen VR." That's exactly what I just experienced in Apple's Vision Pro headset, and yeah, it's amazing.
I just tried out Vision Pro in a series of carefully picked demos during WWDC at Apple's Cupertino headquarters. I've been using cutting-edge VR devices for years, and I found all sorts of augmented reality memories bubbling up in my brain. Apple's compact -- but still not small -- headset reminds me of an Apple-designed Meta Quest Pro. The fit of the back strap was comfy yet stretchy, with a dial to adjust the rear fit and a top strap for stability.
From there, the interface was surprisingly fluid. Looking at icons or interface options slightly enlarges them, or changes how bold they appear. Tapping with my fingers while looking at something opens an app.
I've used tons of hand-tracking technology on headsets like the Hololens 2 and Meta Quest 2 and Pro, and usually there's a lot of hand motion required. Here, I could be really lazy. I pinched to open icons even while my hand was resting in my lap, and it worked.
Scrolling involves pinching and pulling with my fingers; again, pretty easy to do. I resized windows by moving my hand to throw a window across the room or pin it closer to me. I opened multiple apps at once, including Safari, Messages and Photos. It was easy enough to scroll around, although sometimes my eye tracking needed a bit of extra concentration to pull off.
2023-06-05 21:42:24
