This is going to be a copy/paste of a Facebook post, and a comment thread with Andrew Laurence, a friend of mine. Mostly to stick my flag in the ground… how often do you get to scoop John Gruber?
Regarding Apple’s new $3500 Augmented Reality headset they’ve named Vision Pro that was revealed today: Did you notice how no one in the meetings the wearer is connecting to is also shown using a Vision Pro? No? I noticed that.
I do like the Bank of America Circle-Vision 360 panoramas, though.
Thinking in the long-term, though, they might be prototyping a brainwave sensitive UI. I mean, doesn’t this look like an Oath of Fealty/Minority Report mash-up?
Andrew: I noticed that no users were wearing eyeglasses. They eventually mentioned the Zeiss-provided prescription inserts.
Andrew: I’m skeptical of this entire category.
Me: I am, too. It’s very Dilbert-esque — because they have the tech, they’re doing it, even though it solves no problem. OTOH, in terms of prototyping a UI in preparation for a future physical interface (read: implants), it’s interesting.
Hm. Maybe I’m wrong. They’re positioning it as entertainment (so far). Well… Being a passenger. Either car or plane. Better than those damned tray tables and a laptop — if you can get the wireless pipes to the vehicle. But if driverless cars come about, we’ll all be passengers.
Oh, and I’ll say this before Gruber does: given Apple’s use of the word Pro for products, that implies a cheaper version is in the pipeline. (Checks: yeah, he hasn’t posted on Vision Pro yet. But I’ll bet the Jobs estate he’ll mention this when he does.)
Andrew: Like the Watch’s introduction, I was struck that yes it does new things, but how is it useful? What problems does it solve? The Watch eventually found its market and footing. I‘m sure these AR/VR thingies will too, eventually. (I don’t own a wear any wrist-device. I stopped wearing them nearly 20 years ago and have yet to find a set of usecases that earns back the spot on my wrist.)
Me: Just about every health professional I’ve seen (and I’ve seen many since 2022-01-08) wears one. They’ve got the health sector (not unlike the educational sector with students) locked on the Watch.