Back in October 2022, I predicted that Apple would be using a transparency mode similar to the audio transparency mode in AirPods Pro. Today, Apple showed off the Apple Vision Pro to the public. My prediction turned out to be just about right on the money. As a user, you can choose to switch the headset between a virtually transparent view of the world around you or switch it to be opaque when you want a more VR experience. What I didn't expect was the ability to dial up/down the amount of the world that is visible. Not only is that super helpful to feel connected, it also lets software adjust the transparency as needed. Apple showed off the ability to detect people nearby and let the people fade into the closed off VR world of the headset so you aren't surprised while using the device. They also did put a screen on the outside to show a representation of your eyes so that conversing while wearing the device is more natural for the people not wearing one.
The external battery pack, the size, and other limitations show that this is a 1.0 device. I remember getting an original iPhone and paying what seemed like a crazy price at the time. You couldn't even download apps on the first iPhone! It also didn't have a front camera, no copy/paste, and was tied to a single carrier, Cingular, with less than a 3G network. Apple Vision Pro is in that phase.
It will get lighter. It will get smaller. It will gain new abilities. It will get wireless support. There will be more style revisions every year. There will an accessory market to personalize the device to your personality. The eco system will grow and others will copy Apple with varying degrees of success.
I'm most excited to see what developers do with the device once they've had a chance to understand all of the hardware. I'm sure we'll see an app that allows realtors to just walk through a house and instantly create a 3D model of the space to share with clients. There will be someone that creates the equivalent of a flashlight app and probably make a lot of money for a very simple program that uses the hardware in a novel way. It's an exciting development and I'm sure this is only the start.
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