Apple Vision Pro and its ambition to revolutionize smartphones and desktops

Apple Vision Pro is a brand-new virtual reality wearable device recently introduced by Apple in an event in early June. It carries a lot of expectations, but is it truly groundbreaking?

At first glance, Apple Vision Pro appears to be a highly promising device due to its impressive array of accompanying features. Both the hardware and software, coming from the Silicon Valley giant, are demonstrated and refined impressively. However, alongside this are exorbitant prices and uncertain user experiences in the current interactive environment. Let's analyze Apple Vision Pro - Breakthrough or Dead End in this article.

Solid Design, Yet Nothing New

This can't be called a breakthrough in design because Apple Vision Pro fundamentally remains a VR headset, so its components and appearance are bound to follow standard industrial design with a frame and straps. Many previous generations of VR headsets have used this design, and most have provided users with a comfortable experience.

However, social interaction through such glasses begs the question: is it sufficient or excessive to evolve from the smartphone or replace the currently used phone altogether? Imagine if one day they truly replace the iPhones sold by Apple, and everyone wears these glasses to use.

Indeed, the Apple Vision Pro is neither novel nor does it bring any breakthrough in design as we are still using a wearable device with an adjustable strap to fit each user's body. This design somewhat resembles the Apple Watch Ultra with its wave-like strap, snug fit, and remarkably comfortable feel (subjective opinion of the writer).

Furthermore, unlike some competitors that integrate earphones directly into the ear canal, the Apple Vision Pro does not have such a design. To experience the fullest, you need to supplement with additional earphones to enhance the user experience. The structure remains the same but the design is somewhat simplified with modern curved lines.

The differentiating factor and future elevation of Apple Vision Pro come from the internal processing hardware along with optimized software. As everyone knows, Apple has built for itself a very comprehensive supply chain, from holding technologies for manufacturing processors to network cards and even software exclusively tailored for products from Apple.

Thus, aiding Vision Pro to have a much greater developmental momentum than its competing counterparts. Vision Pro houses the Apple M2 processor, previously utilized in the MacBook Air M2 and MacBook Pro M2, along with the R1 motion chip, rendering its performance indisputably robust. On the software front, the product has been equipped with a new ecosystem by Apple, featuring the visionOS platform. Additionally, the company has developed application programming tools specifically for visionOS to optimize the product. These factors have enabled Vision Pro to achieve far greater developmental potential than its competitors from other brands in the market.

Not without Advantages

Speaking of productivity, there are indeed advantages when it comes to Apple Vision Pro. Complete focus on work is something undeniable when using Vision Pro. Minimizing external distractions, no need to look at others' faces, just focusing on the task at hand with utmost concentration.

Or when gaming, you'll also have a larger experiential space with a larger screen that doesn't take up too much space when in use. The advantages of Vision Pro will make your experience more comfortable, immersive, and truly engrossing in your world. Device space constraints will no longer be an issue, and no one will notice you each time you play games.

Additionally, the potential to deliver a unique experience on Vision Pro is immense, thanks to its features and native Apple-supported software. This opens up a much larger user potential compared to previous competitors who have participated in the VR/AR race.

The success of Vision Pro is hard to predict, but it's highly likely that this headset won't flop like some previous versions on the market, especially in professional entertainment tasks like gaming or movie-watching. We'll gradually step into the world of sci-fi movies like Ready Player One.

However, reaching that day is still far off, as not only the Apple Vision Pro but also accessories or devices that create sensory, auditory, olfactory, and haptic effects need to develop alongside it. To fully unleash the potential of Vision Pro and bring users a more immersive experience. It can be said that with Apple's investment and seriousness in Vision Pro, it's seen as a stepping stone for other features or accompanying devices to develop.

Replacing the phone? Not anytime soon

Not just Apple, if faced with the choice of Vision Pro or iPhone, any manufacturer would likely choose to build upon their existing successful business areas. They may still see Vision Pro as the future, but for now, we'll continue to talk more about the iPhone, iPad, or MacBook.

With new products like Vision Pro, components for new technologies are still too expensive, making the price of Vision Pro not cheap when it hits the market. Therefore, access to this VR/AR headset will be very limited. There certainly won't be many users interested in Vision Pro at the current time and in the near future.

Moreover, as users, we often prefer what we already know. Knowing how stable they are, how to use them, and how familiar they are. Therefore, Vision Pro will still be a new, modern step, but the majority of users are not yet ready to change their daily routines.

It's truly difficult, even a bit strange, for us to interact through glasses even though we know Apple designs them to be transparent for users to easily see each other. A world with such usage will be completely different, and we won't truly call it interaction anymore.

If you think this is simple, then imagine the scene where we go to a café, each of us using a Vision Pro. We'll look no different from thinking robots. Moreover, none of us will even know each other's faces when using them in such a way.

Even in the current time, we often find ourselves walking with friends, yet everyone is immersed in their phones, no longer communicating as we used to. The world of technology has changed us too much in recent times. And with Vision Pro coming out, things could even get worse.

Or in another setting, perhaps closer, like at work. The exchanges, the banter, or the discussions among colleagues will fade away. Instead, we'll interact more with our glasses. Even when we don't really want to interact, we won't switch to transparent mode to communicate with each other; we'll almost exclusively talk online.

Moreover, even within families, when people communicate with each other, there will be an invisible barrier separating the outside world from the glasses. Creating a sense of family in this bustling world was already challenging, and now it's even more distant because of the absurdity of the glasses.

Therefore, iPhone, iPad, or MacBook will continue to live, and even thrive for at least many years to come because of what's been proven and the best user values they bring. Vision Pro won't replace them; Apple isn't foolish enough to kill its golden goose. The company will keep upgrading, keep developing until we change our perspective on Vision Pro, but how long that will take remains unknown.

In summary, Summing Up

Apple's Vision Pro emerges as a highly promising device for the future trajectory of the tech world. With the cutting-edge hardware features it offers, coupled with Apple's backing and the robust software ecosystem the company has diligently built.

However, to suggest that Vision Pro will entirely replace phones, tablets, or laptops remains uncertain. It's hard to predict when, or even if, we'll exclusively interact through a pair of glasses.

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