If I had to give an evaluation of the upcoming Apple Vision Pro, I would like to call it the most groundbreaking and imaginative consumer electronic device after the iPhone, but when it comes to the status and significance of the two in the history of consumer electronics, the Apple Vision Pro cannot be compared with the iPhone.
Before the release of Apple's Vision Pro, many technology companies have made a lot of attempts in the fields of VR, AR, and MR, but many products launched by giants such as Meta, Microsoft, Sony, HTC, and Huawei have not really opened the consumer market. There are many reasons behind it, but I think a very important reason is that the positioning of most products is at best a vassal of the company's inherent resources, and the reason why they are created is either to ensure that its resource advantage is continued in the next era, or to avoid missing opportunities. In other words, the vast majority of XR devices that have been launched are essentially means and tools, not ends. Comparing the iPhone, we will find that those revolutionary devices that cross the ages are never the means and tools of anyone, but the end in itself, and once they appear, they will overshadow all other products with an unprecedented new atmosphere. Apple's Vision Pro is a product that is close to the end of itself, but Apple hasn't done it thoroughly enough. It's not a "next-generation computing platform," but it's a clear line from existing computing platforms. I have a few opinions about what makes this product different: First, Apple's understanding of XR is unique and superior to other manufacturers. In the past, the industry always emphasized the "immersion" of virtual reality, and companies tried to create a closed and private immersive space for users, thinking that this would bring a good experience, so most products were separated from the external environment during use, without any interaction. In my personal experience, when I use a headset, I feel a sense of unease and discomfort because I can't perceive the external environment. In a confined virtual space, I am the absolute subject. But at the same time, I couldn't help but realize that in the external environment, I was deprived of my subjectivity and became the object of others. This, I think, is the source of the uneasiness and discomfort. Apple's Vision Pro connects the external environment with the virtual space through real-time images, allowing users to stay connected to the external environment at all times, and at the same time allowing others to see the user's eyes. When users need an immersive experience, the Apple Vision Pro is able to deliver. But when someone else approaches the user, the immersion is naturally broken. The transition between virtual and reality is very comfortable. I think this design is based on Apple's unique understanding of XR. Second, Apple's Vision Pro's eye tracking and gesture recognition are groundbreaking interactive experiences. I haven't personally used the Apple Vision Pro, but judging from a large number of reviews, Apple's eye tracking can even be accurate to a certain letter of the virtual keyboard, and the eyeballs are the mouse and fingers, and the natural interaction is amazing. The reason why it is "groundbreaking" is mainly because it is a completely new way of interaction that is different from existing interaction methods, although the related biometric technology is not a new technology, for example, physicist Hawking is known to have typed through eye-tracking technology during his lifetime. But Apple has applied it to consumer electronics like never before. In addition, Apple's Vision Pro interaction method is groundbreaking in that it breaks the limitations of senses and space, and the human-computer interaction in the past mainly uses external devices such as mice, keyboards, as well as touch control and voice control. But whether it's a computer or a smartphone, the interface is flat, or two-dimensional. The interactive interface of Apple's Vision Pro is indeed three-dimensional and three-dimensional. In addition, Apple's Vision Pro is directly interacted with through the senses, and almost no other media are required to do it. Third, Apple's Vision Pro does bring a new computing platform, based on which a new developer ecosystem is likely to be born. Much of the iPhone's success is due to the sheer number of iOS developers, and the great thing about the iPhone is that it provides a place for app developers to unleash their talents and imaginations. Apple's Vision Pro is undoubtedly a product that can fully capture the imagination of developers, and I believe that any developer who still has the passion to change the world will be eager to try it. Above, I said a lot of good things about the Apple Vision Pro, and finally poured some cold water on it. All XR devices face a big problem with wearing comfort, and the Apple Vision Pro is no exception, and its weight can be uncomfortable even when worn for long periods of time. And considering that it also needs to be powered by an external battery, the Apple Vision Pro is even more inconvenient to use. The "next-generation computing platform" that can replace smartphones must first beat smartphones in terms of portability and comfort. In addition, from the software level, Apple's Vision Pro developer ecosystem is still under construction, so it is not a mature product. Although it carries the imagination of developers around the world, it is only when these imaginations become reality that they will appeal to mass consumers.