Apple Vision Pro units returned as folks just can't see themselves using it
- Reference: 1708039779
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/02/15/apple_vision_pro_returns/
- Source link:
Pre-orders for Vision Pro began on January 19 and the machines went on sale to all-comers from February 2. Apple has [1]reportedly sold around 200,000 of the virtual-reality headsets.
Some owners were not satisfied with Apple’s latest innovation.
[2]
A number of netizens, including tech influencer [3]Rjeytech and [4]Parker Ortolani , said they experienced headaches and eyestrain after using the goggles.
[5]
[6]
"Probably the most mind-blowing piece of tech I've ever tried," Rjeytech said on Twitter. "Can't deal with these headaches after ten minutes of use though."
"Just for the record I've tried other VR headsets before and have never dealt with headaches of any sort," Rjeytech added.
[7]
"[The Vision Pro is] clearly the future. It works like magic. But the physical tradeoffs are just not worth it for me right now," Ortolani said of his experience. "I actually went back to the store for a whole second [fitting] session … thought it helped but it wasn't enough."
Of course, the same can't be said for everyone - Farzad Mesbahi, former parts distribution program manager for Tesla and a tech blogger – said the Vision Pro was the only headset that didn't cause him dizziness, headaches, or eye fatigue.
He's still returning the headset, however, because it simply wasn't worth the price given "there's no killer app," Mesbahi [8]opined in a video.
[9]Apple Vision Pro is creating a new generation of glassholes
[10]Apple has botched 3D for decades. So good luck with the Vision Pro, Tim
[11]Apple's Vision Pro costs big bucks to buy and repair ... just don't mention the box design
[12]Apple Vision Pro has densest display iFixit's ever seen, and almost-OK repairability
Others agree that the Vision Pro lacked features, like Colombian-American entrepreneur Alexander Torrenegra, who packed his headset up after just two hours of use.
"It's quite cool, but there's nothing in it for me that I'll use frequently enough to warrant my keeping it," the local Shark Tank judge [13]said , adding that he thought a lack of utility would be the general consensus once hype around the device ebbs.
[14]
A Reddit poster [15]said much the same - that they only used it four times over their 11 days of ownership and couldn't justify keeping it. A second Reddit poster complained of several issues - including the weight of the device - but also concurred with others that the headset lacks a " must-have feature."
"I'm confident it will hit its stride over time like Apple Watch and iPad did but at the moment, it's a very expensive toy with lots of potential," Reddit user markjbon [16]wrote .
The Register reached out to several of the people mentioned in this story and we didn't immediately receive a response. If you've got one and like it, feel free to let us know in the comment section or [17]privately . We're willing to believe at least some people like it.
While a bunch of social media posts do not a product kill, the fact that many of the complaints from early adopters sound the same - especially that there's nothing to make the device truly useful at the price point - makes it hard to not see this as an early indictment of the Vision Pro's appeal. ®
Get our [18]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.macrumors.com/2024/01/29/apple-vision-pro-headset-sales/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Zc7r@hmsAApIVysfyA8HuwAAAYw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://twitter.com/RjeyTech/status/1757577462035222728
[4] https://twitter.com/ParkerOrtolani/status/1757149437502128176
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zc7r@hmsAApIVysfyA8HuwAAAYw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zc7r@hmsAApIVysfyA8HuwAAAYw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zc7r@hmsAApIVysfyA8HuwAAAYw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://twitter.com/farzyness/status/1757454877502894437
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/06/apple_vision_pro_glassholes/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/24/apple_vision_pro_good_luck/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/25/apple_vision_pro_china/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/apple_vision_pro_ifixit/
[13] https://twitter.com/torrenegra/status/1757460390881984922
[14] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zc7r@hmsAApIVysfyA8HuwAAAYw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[15] https://www.reddit.com/r/VisionPro/comments/1aqubzl/returned_my_vision_pro_today_heres_how_the_apple/
[16] https://www.reddit.com/r/VisionPro/comments/1aqu0hu/i_returned_the_vision_pro/
[17] https://www.theregister.com/Author/Email/Brandon-Vigliarolo
[18] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
"Did anyone actually ever figure what Apple Watches are actually good for?"
Slurping up all that bio-metric data to send back to the mothership. Certainly did not take long for the bloom to be off the AR rose, usually them Apple moron fan boys are more than happy to toss the dollars at Apple and not say a word about it.
Yep. It means I can go out without a phone or wallet/cards (purse/bag/pockets) and still be a functioning contactable member of society if required. It’s very likely the most useful shiny I’ve ever been given (and I’d likely not have bought it for myself as I originally thought it just another shiny, I was wrong).
Well, like any other smart watch the benefits are:
* Hardly ever need to take the phone out for texts, emails, etc, just glance at the watch. Can even reply with the watch if needed.
* Believe it or not, it can be useful to just glance at your wrist to find out the current time and maybe how much time is left before sunset.
* Phone never makes any noise to annoy everyone around me, the watch just vibrates.
* It's impossible to miss a call/text with the watch vibrations - though of course you can turn that off when you want to, and I only have it buzz for people on the whitelist.
* Replaced my alarm clock - again, can't miss the watch buzzing.
* If you accidentally drop/leave your phone, the watch will warn you. This has saved me twice.
* Smooths a lot of interactions - for instance it's super simple to just use Shazam to ID a song by tapping the watch twice rather than pulling out the phone, unlocking it, swiping to find the app, running the app. Also makes for a great conversation piece at times.
* I find the fitness tracking to be endlessly useful when I go for my walks, hikes, or bike rides. Turns out my pulse rate tells me a lot. And of course actual distance traveled, speed, steps, and altitude changes are really useful. And with the watch you don't even need to bring the phone (though I usually do).
* When biking, voice commands to the watch can be very useful. I have actually gotten myself lost in a new area and just hold down the fob and say 'navigate to [x]' and off it goes with turn by turn instructions.
* Makes paying for things super easy - just tap the watch, no need for hauling a card out of your wallet (which only old people carry now) or phone.
* Works while swimming too, forget using your phone there.
The only thing here that /only/ the watch can do is the fitness tracking - without a smartwatch I'd have to use a fitness band, which is basically a cut down smartwatch. Everything else can of course be done more clumsily without the watch. But it just makes everything faster, easier, less friction, and isn't that the entire dream of tech? Hell you don't /need/ a smartphone, it just makes things much easier. And the watch makes them easier still.
Of course until you've actually experienced all this you can't even imagine how much faster and easier it is doing many things with the watch instead of the phone so there doesn't seem to be a killer feature. I got my first smart watch (Moto 360) just for the texts on my wrist (and the custom faces). The rest I found out later.
Have they tried using a mirror?
Actually, seeing themselves wearing it
Might have tipped them over the edge.
C.
The one feature
The one thing I keet hearing as 'the killer feature' for now is watching movies on a plane flight.
Of course this is an extremely limited use feature for most people.
Re: The one feature
And you can already do that with a phone/tablet/laptop. Maybe a VR headset would be a better overall experience, but at the same time trying to deal with something like that when you're already crammed into a metal tube like chickens on an industrial farm, just doesn't seem worth the effort. Plus you make yourself a prime target for anyone on the plane who may be interested in swiping your new shiny once you get out of the plane. On balance, not sure it's really worth it. Maybe if they ever get VR headsets that are no more intrusive than a pair of safety goggles or something, but just thinking about the kink in your neck you'd likely have after watching a movie in a plane seat makes me want to reach for the tylenol.
I'm surprised the terms don't include conditions that void the "no questions asked" return policy if you make public that you will be returning the product or disparage it or make negative public comments about it in any way, making it only returnable for exchange in the event of a defect.
Am I correct in assuming that it doesn’t even work as a regular VR kit, ie allow me to play Elite Dangerous that I have on my PC?
If it can’t do regular VR then IMO it will lose a lot of interest from people who actually already use VR headsets.
>I'm confident it will hit its stride over time like Apple Watch...
Did anyone actually ever figure what Apple Watches are actually good for?