Hands-On with the Apple Vision Pro
A Glimpse into the Eye-popping World of Spatial Computing, Immersive Experiences, and Social Implications.
I entered the Apple Store at the Galleria in Dallas, Texas, a few minutes ahead of my scheduled time. Walking through the open doors, I was hit with a wave of excitement and energy. The store was buzzing with people — customers, creators, and Apple aficionados, chatting and exploring the latest technological advancements.
This Apple store is about 15 miles from my home, and I seldom go there. But it is a beehive for young creators, offering them a space to learn, create, and innovate.
I was there for a specific reason — to try out the new space-age-looking Apple Vision Pro. I edged my way through the crowd and met up with RJ, an Apple trainer I knew from the last time I made the pilgrimage to the store- about five years ago. His warm smile and welcome settled my nervousness. I was home — the Apple ecosystem.
He took me to the designated area, pointed to a chair, and invited me to sit. He warned me not to stand up or walk around during the demonstration. Why? The device can give first-timers a disorienting and reality-bending experience. He was right.
Measures and Gestures
The first thing he did was measure my glasses and create custom inserts for the headset. In a few minutes, a tech brought a pair of lenses that magnetically snapped into the goggles. Talk about personalized service!
Then RJ showed me the few gestures needed to operate the device. Only three hand gestures are needed. The first is a ‘click’. With palms up, I tapped my thumb and index finger together. That’s a click. One down. The second is a ‘scroll’. Click and hold the bottom corner of the virtual screen and move your hand to the left, like pulling a needle and thread. Simple. The final gesture requires two hands to grab the corners of the screen and spread them apart or bring them together. That’s it.
My friend explained that the gestures are simple and not intended to be dramatic, like in Tom Cruise’s Minority Report. Okay. I believe that. Even still, I can see how these three hand movements would become second nature, the way a mouse or a trackpad is to me now.
The Apple Vision Pro is not VR or AR, which I learned means Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality. The Apple Vision Pro is a computer that can access the web, move seamlessly through the familiar Apple interface, and present media in a new way. This device was an entirely new way of computing. Apple called it “Spatial Computing”.
Entering the New World of Spatial Computing
As I put on the headset, I entered Apple’s new world. With the few simple gestures I had learned, I knew how to navigate through different apps effortlessly. However, the setup was not yet complete. One more measurement was needed.
The device tracks eye movement with incredible precision. It knows exactly where I am looking. To do that, with the ski mask-like device comfortably on my head, the software showed me six tiny dots in six small circles. RJ told me to look in one of the small circles, stare at the dot in the middle, and ‘click’ my fingers. This is part of the setup process and only needs to be done once. Once the Vision Pro knew my settings, I was good to go. It tracked my eye movements perfectly.
RJ talked me through the rest of the demonstration. If you are aware of the Apple TV interface, you can imagine what it looked like from the inside of the mask. Each familiar icon floated in place in the “space” between my eyes and the backdrop of the store shelving beyond me.
I moved my eyesight from icon to icon, and each of them pulsed a little as I looked at it. To open an app, all I had to do was stare at it. It pulsed back at me, telling me that we were in sync, and then I clicked my fingers in the air. Poof. It opened.
I opened the Photos icon and saw an amazing array of crystal-clear photographs taken with an iPhone. I looked at one, clicked my fingers, and it opened up. I scrolled to the next one and then the next. I could open and expand the photo, shrink it back down, and move it off to the side. It was beyond cool.
The Apple iPhone camera has a feature that takes panorama shots. When I take them in the field, they are almost useless because of the wide-angle lens effect. Everything is distorted. In the Photo icon inside the headset, however, they had a few demo photos available. I looked at one. It pulsed back at me. I clicked, it opened, and then my jaw dropped. I was there, right where the photo was taken. I was standing in a photographed world that was as maxed out as an IMAX theatre. It was stunning.
I demoed some of the other advanced features of this cutting-edge device, including its ability to capture stunning 3D photos and videos. I had been transported into the future.
Is the Price Right?
All of this came in at around $4,500 when you factor in Apple Care and tax. I had gone to the store needing to be convinced that the Vision Pro was worth the price tag. Oh my. It is. No question about it from me. As soon as I experienced it for myself, I acknowledged that the steep price was beyond reasonable for the incredible value and experience it provided. It really isn’t that steep compared to what you get.
RJ told me that the Apple Vision Pro was well over 12 years in the making. It is truly impressive.
I was tempted to purchase the Apple Vision Pro on the spot, but then the reality that hit me wasn’t virtual, augmented, or spatial; it was practical and financial.
Over the last 30 years, as technology has given us things that we would never have believed were possible, I have learned to ask a hard but simple question before I buy one: What problem am I trying to solve? Reluctantly and in real-time, I had to ask that question, even though it was a downer. What problem does this amazing device solve?
Would this device add anything to my workspace, work output, or my writing? Probably not. I am easily distracted by all the ways I can duck into the vast virtual world around me. The World Wide Web, with its interconnected links, has more rabbit trails than could ever be good for me. Everything — the world and everything in it — is just one click away.
With this new device, I’d be lost in space forever.
After the experience, I drove away from the mall and began to dream about the use cases for this amazing headset. Having visited some of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world, I wondered if I would want to take a virtual tour of these awe-inspiring spaces using a device like this. The majestic pine forests of Vancouver Island’s Grove Park also came to mind; could I find inspiration by being “there” without physically being present? Furthermore, I thought through the possibility of teaching or leading a Bible study with an interface far more pleasing than the flat, grainy platforms we use now.
Throughout history, we have seen God prompt the church to use every new and emerging technology to advance the Gospel’s mission and expand the church. All of these ideas could become reality — most likely they will — and we should be mindful of the technology’s social limitations.
Soloism
The device is a solo experience. No one is in the virtual world looking at amazing photos, exciting life-like movies, or scrolling through web pages except me.
This made me think about the potential effects of this technology on our increasingly isolating culture. These advanced devices — this will not be the first or the last — draw people in like magnets. But they isolate people as well. The amazing machines can pull people away from everyone else around them and entice them to enter an all-too-beautiful world of wonder where they are essentially alone.
As much as I was blown away by the Apple Vision Pro’s capabilities, I can’t ignore these concerns. The future is coming, and after experiencing the demonstration, I’d say it's here. The technology is stunning, and it will continue to develop and provide generations to come with experiences that seemed like sci-fi novel material only a few years ago.
The Apple Vision Pro offers thrilling, immersive technological advancements and personalized, customized interactions. Yet, as we welcome these innovations, we should also consider their isolating impact on society.
I am not a Luddite, but I see where someone could get very lonely in there.
David Roseberry is a pastor, coach, and consultant. He writes posts and books on relevant topics, applying biblical truth and wisdom. His work can be found on Medium and LeaderWorks, where he is Executive Director. Visit his author page here.
