As an ardent follower of the latest tech trends, I recently came across a video that piqued my interest. It was a review by Marques Brownlee, popularly known as MKBHD, on his YouTube channel. For those unfamiliar with Marques, he is a tech enthusiast and a leading figure in the world of tech YouTube channels. His channel, MKBHD, is a goldmine for tech enthusiasts, offering a plethora of information on a wide array of topics, from the latest smartphones to emerging tech trends.
In this particular video, Marques shares his initial impressions of Apple’s latest foray into spatial computing, the Apple Vision Pro. This device is not just another VR headset; it’s a standalone computer that promises to revolutionize the way we interact with digital content. Intrigued by Marques’s review, I decided to delve deeper into the features and capabilities of the Apple Vision Pro. To assist me in this endeavor, I used ChatGPT-4 with plugins, a language model developed by OpenAI, to extract and summarize the key points from the video.
The Apple Vision Pro: A Standalone Computer on Your Face
In his video, “Apple Vision Pro Impressions!”, Marques introduces us to Apple’s first-ever spatial computing device, the Apple Vision Pro. This VR headset, priced at a hefty $3500, is not just a VR headset; it’s a standalone computer. It runs on its own operating system, Vision OS, which is similar to iPad OS. You can browse the web, move around 4K windows, and interact with them using your hands. The responsiveness of the device is impressive, with nearly real-time scrolling and window resizing.
A Unique Approach to Control Mechanism
The Apple Vision Pro stands out from other VR/AR headsets with its unique control mechanism. Instead of traditional controllers, the device is controlled entirely with your hands, eyes, and voice. This innovative approach provides a more natural and intuitive user experience. The headset is laden with sensors, including two main forward-facing cameras, two downward-facing cameras, two side cameras, two infrared illuminators, a lidar scanner, and a true depth camera. These sensors are designed to track the environment around the headset and your hands in front of your face. Inside the headset, there are additional infrared illuminators and cameras dedicated to tracking your eye movements.
The Setup Process: Personalized for You
Before you can start using the headset, you need to scan your face with the true depth camera on the iPhone. This depth information about your face is used to create a custom cut out for the headset, ensuring a comfortable fit. This process can be done in Apple Stores, making it convenient for users to get their device set up correctly.
Design and Build Quality: A Testament to Apple’s Craftsmanship
The Apple Vision Pro headset is a testament to Apple’s commitment to quality and design. The device is well-built with a combination of metal and glass, giving it a premium feel. The back of the headset features a breathable fabric that stretches, ensuring comfort during extended use.
Eye Tracking: A Step Towards the Future
Marques was particularly impressed with the eye tracking feature of the headset. He described it as the closest thing to “magic” he’s experienced in tech. This feature, which allows the device to track and respond to eye movements, adds a new level of interactivity and immersion to the VR experience.
Optic ID: A Personalized Experience
Another unique feature of the Apple Vision Pro is the Optic ID. This feature uses the unique biometric pattern of your eyes to log you into the headset. This means that the headset knows your eyes really well, providing a personalized and secure user experience.
Two-Way Pass-Through: A Step Ahead
The Apple Vision Pro features a two-way pass-through, a feature not seen in other VR headsets. A normal VR headset is opaque and uses a pass-through mode to let you see your environment without taking the headset off. The pass-through on Apple’s headset is the best Marques has ever seen in a headset. It’s stereo, it’s color, it’s sharp, it’s real-time, and it’s really good. The eyes you see from the outside are actually an OLED display showing what your eyes look like to the cameras inside the headset. This feature, while a bit creepy, provides a unique look and feel to the headset.
Computing, Content, and Connections: The Three Pillars of Apple Vision Pro
Marques categorizes the features of the Apple Vision Pro into three main categories: Computing, Content, and Connections.
Computing: A Standalone Computer on Your Face
The Apple Vision Pro is not just a VR headset; it’s a standalone computer. It runs on its own operating system, Vision OS, which is similar to iPad OS. You can browse the web, move around 4K windows, and interact with them using your hands. The responsiveness of the device is impressive, with nearly real-time scrolling and window resizing.
One of the smart features of the device is selective rendering. The device uses its advanced eye tracking to sharply render the part of the screen you’re looking at while saving power on the rest. This feature works so quickly that Marques didn’t notice it while using the device.
For more heavy-duty work, if you have a Mac, you can mirror Mac’s display as one of the 4K windows in the headset. You can even connect a Bluetooth keyboard and a Bluetooth trackpad and start working as if you’re on an actual Mac.
Connections: A New Way to Communicate
The Apple Vision Pro also offers messaging and FaceTime capabilities. You can type out messages just like on a Mac, and you can have FaceTime conversations with people’s windows floating in front of you.
When you’re on a FaceTime call, the other person will see a 3D-rendered model of you that was scanned into the system from your iPhone. This model syncs up and matches the movements of your face with the eye tracking and other sensors of the headset. While it’s not as personal as a normal FaceTime call, it’s more personal than an avatar or cartoon.
Content: Yet to be Explored
As a first-generation product, the only apps that currently show up on the home screen are Apple’s apps. However, Apple has announced the device early to give developers a window to start developing their own apps and making cool things for this headset to do. The potential for content on this device is vast and yet to be fully explored.
Marques also mentions the possibility of watching an NBA game courtside in the VR headset. The quality is good enough, and while it’s not as immersive as feeling the energy from the crowd, it’s a unique experience that many users might be willing to pay for.
The Digital Crown: A Neat Trick
The device also features a digital crown on the side that lets you spin it clockwise to move into a more immersive VR environment or turn it counterclockwise to bring in more of your real-world environment with pass-through in your peripheral vision. This is a neat trick that allows users to control their level of immersion.
3D Photos and Videos: A Mixed Bag
The Apple Vision Pro also has a feature that allows you to take 3D photos and videos with the cameras built into the headset itself. While this can create a super immersive video that feels like you’re reliving a moment in 3D, Marques expresses some reservations about this feature. He imagines a scenario where a dad at a birthday party is walking around with the headset on, recording things, which might feel a bit strange and impersonal for the other people around.
The Downsides: Weight, Battery Life, and Price
Despite the impressive features of the Apple Vision Pro, Marques also points out a few potential downsides. The device is heavy due to its metal and glass construction, which might leadto fatigue during extended use. The battery, which is not attached to the headset but connected through a proprietary cable, only lasts for two hours. While there is a USB-C port on the battery bank that you can plug into the wall for continuous use, the limited battery life might be a concern for users who want to use the device on the go.
Another potential issue is the noise from the fans inside the headset. While Marques couldn’t get a firm answer on whether there are fans inside, there are vents that suggest their presence. If the fans spin up during long gaming sessions, they might get loud and drain the battery.
Lastly, the price of the Apple Vision Pro is a significant factor. At $3500, it’s a hefty investment. However, Marques points out that there are several things that this headset does that no other headset does, such as superior eye tracking and hand tracking, and integration with Apple’s ecosystem.
Conclusion: A Product for Early Adopters and Developers
After a detailed exploration of the Apple Vision Pro, it’s clear that this device is a game-changer in the realm of spatial computing. Its unique features, such as eye tracking and hand tracking, the integration with Apple’s ecosystem, and the potential for developers to create immersive content, set it apart from other VR headsets in the market. However, its high price points and the potential downsides, such as the weight and limited battery life, suggest that it’s currently targeted at early adopters and developers.
Marques’s review of the Apple Vision Pro provides a comprehensive look at this groundbreaking device. His detailed review offers potential buyers a clear understanding of what to expect from Apple’s first venture into the world of spatial computing. As always, Marques’s review is a testament to his commitment to providing his viewers with thorough, unbiased tech reviews.
For more tech reviews and updates, follow Marques on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also check out his merchandise store and his podcast, Waveform.
As I wrap up this post, I want to express my gratitude to Marques for his insightful review and to ChatGPT-4 for assisting me in summarizing the key points. The combination of Marques’s expertise and the capabilities of ChatGPT-4 has made it possible for me to share this comprehensive review of the Apple Vision Pro with you. I hope you found this post informative and helpful in understanding the capabilities of this revolutionary device. Stay tuned to my blog for more tech insights and reviews!