Apple Vision Pro

So many thoughts.

Device

The device looks and probably feels very valuable, expensive and high-quality. I mean it is very expensive, so it should look and feel that way, but Apple devices usually are high-quality and feel like jewelry and that’s one reason people love them.

Usability

After the mouse for the Mac, the finger for the iPhone, the new pointing device is your eye. Using this device must feel like magic.
It was extremely magical to use a finger on an iPhone and just scroll though a long list of songs.
This must the same thing, but even more radical, since nothing is touching the interface. You simply look at it and it is highlighted.
Then you use your fingers to initiate a selection, similar to a tab in the iPhone world.

Use cases

People were mostly using the device alone, which is great. I can’t imagine people using headsets to be in a virtual reality while sitting next to each other. That just sounds and looks ridiculous. However, being alone and using the device seems to me the perfect use case. Watch a movie on a gigantic screen with headphones when the family is sleeping. This is the big difference to the other headsets out there.

The next iPhone?

No. I don’t think so. At least it doesn’t feel like it, right now.

When the iPhone was announced, it fealed extremely special and a decade ahead of all of the competition. Arguably, it was. I wanted it so badly, because I was sick of all the bad phones at that time. I purchased the original iPhone day one in Germany and it was a very special day. A true revolution for the whole phone and smart device industry.

Apple Vision Pro does feel special and also ahead of its competition, but it is doesn’t feel like a revolution.

As a Developer

I think, and I heard this multiple times, that this platform could be bigger for developers than for instance Apple Watch or Apple TV. Only a few Apps work really well on the watch and on the TV, but the majority of Apps on both plaforms are more or less companian Apps of an iPhone app.

That might not be the case for VisionOS. This device is a standalone computer with a giant screen, therefore, more Apps can have their chance to shine.

There will also not be many users in the beginning. The device is fairly pricey and might also be limited in production. Developers might be able to charge much higher prices compared to the iOS and iPadOS App Stores.