Mark Zuckerberg is not known for his sense of humor or his charisma. When the meta-boss mocks a product and seems halfway convincing, the manufacturer has a problem. The fact that it is Apple, the most successful hardware manufacturer, makes things even more unusual.
At the beginning of February, Apple launched the Vision Pro in the USA, and shortly afterwards Zuckerberg compared the competitor’s computer glasses with Meta’s own headset. The Quest not only offers better value for money, it is “the better product, period.” The mere fact that there was serious discussion afterwards about whether Zuckerberg could be right is a warning signal for Apple: Meta’s Quest 3 costs around a seventh of the Vision Pro. Almost half a year later, Apple is now bringing the glasses to other countries.
When will the Vision Pro come to Germany?
Apple has been accepting pre-orders since the end of June, with deliveries scheduled for Friday, July 12. The glasses can also be tried out in Apple stores from Friday morning. Prices start at 4,000 euros for the cheapest model with 256 GB of storage space. If you want a terabyte and need a second battery, a carrying case and prescription lenses, you’ll pay more than 5,000 euros.
What is the Vision Pro actually?
Apple speaks of “the era of spatial computing”. Anyone who puts on the glasses can completely disappear into virtual reality (VR) or have the real environment augmented by virtual elements (augmented reality, or AR for short). However, you don’t look through the glasses; instead, cameras capture the environment and project the image onto the displays in front of the user’s eyes. Unlike other headsets, you don’t need controllers; you can control the computer glasses with eye movements and gestures.
What do you do with the Vision Pro?
In Apple’s advertising films, you can see people wearing the headset at every opportunity: at home and when traveling, for work, movie nights and virtual workouts. Shortly after the market launch, a few testers and early adopters in the USA walked around town wearing the computer glasses. But this sight is rare so far. Although you can theoretically use apps and video games, access websites and edit documents, for most people the Vision Pro is primarily an immersive and expensive screen. The glasses are apparently well suited for films, series and YouTube videos, but for other applications the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.
What speaks against the Vision Pro?
Anyone who spends 4000 euros on a portable cinema in which only one person can watch films at a time is a cinephile, a technology fan or is not concerned about money – probably all at once. Almost all test reports mention the same criticisms. The Vision Pro is too heavy to carry for long periods of time – which would only be possible near a power outlet anyway, because the external battery only lasts two hours. Even after half a year, there are only a few useful apps and hardly any games. The display and handling are superior to the competition, but far from perfect. If you move your head quickly, the surroundings blur and gestures are sometimes unreliably recognized. The Vision Pro seems to be an impressive piece of technology, but the first generation is simply too expensive and immature for the mass market.
How is the Vision Pro selling so far?
Apple does not provide official figures, but analysts say sales are below expectations. After just a few days, the first buyers their glasses backthe mediocre test reports apparently put off many interested parties. By the end of the year, less than half a million pieces In the US, sales have collapsed in the last quarter, frustrated customers are selling their used gadgets with drastic loss of valueIn a time when technology is becoming more and more inconspicuous and is being seamlessly integrated into everyday life, many people are apparently reluctant to put huge glasses on their heads.
Was that it for virtual reality?
“VR will be the next big thing” is the digital equivalent of “Wedding is coming”. Just like the Berlin neighborhood, virtual reality has been predicted to have a breakthrough for many years, but it is still a long time coming. Mark Zuckerberg has invested tens of billions in the Metaverse and renamed his company, but so far it looks like a bad bet. If even Apple, which is said to have worked on the Vision Pro for almost a decade, cannot generate enthusiasm, that is a bad sign. But it is still too early to write it off. Meta and Apple have invested too much to give up now. The Apple Watch was also laughed at at first, and its big success only came with later generations.
What’s next for the Vision Pro?
Bloomberg and The Information report that Apple is focusing on developing a cheaper version of its computer glasses. The Apple Vision, as the product could be called, is expected to cost less than $2,000 and will be launched at the end of 2025. A successor to the Vision Pro is therefore not expected for at least two years. At the same time, Apple is said to be working on smaller AR glasses that resemble the flopped Google Glass or Meta’s smart Ray Ban. Apple gave up its big car project in February – there still seems to be a vision for the Vision.