Engineers React to Apple Vision Pro

Apple recently unveiled their newest device- what do a couple of headphone engineers think of it? Find out here!

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[jotwee]

You guys talking about high prices is quite ironic 😂

[Joaquin_D]

I guess that a headset with tens of cameras, 2 SOCs with billions of transistors, two +4K screens, and maybe millions of lines of code can’t be more expensive that a headphone with 2 drives and a cable.

[Brendon]

From a hardware perspective it really is insane. It's basically like buying a top end MacBook Pro (uses the same M2 chip) with dual 4K micro OLED displays that have the equivalent number of pixels of SIX Pro Display XDR's, and is pushing that with close to zero detectable latency (this solves the nausea-inducing effect caused by many VR headsets). The user interface, at least according to YouTubers/reporters who got to demo it, is said to be extremely intuitive with perfect hand and eye tracking that feels "magical". They also said that the extremely high resolution displays make using it as a monitor replacement actually possible since text is very sharp and legible, which can't be said for other headsets like the Meta Quest Pro (tried it myself, was bad). Lastly, reporters from The Verge mentioned that watching movies in the headset is "incredible" with 3D movies feeling exactly like you're in a movie theater except bigger and with better quality displays (the dual 4K displays in the headset can hit 5000 nits of brightness).

Based on all of that it definitely sounds like it's going to be a hit product. Even things that I thought were issues at first, such as the two hour battery life, aren't a problem in reality. This is because the battery pack has a USB-C port on it that can plug into the same charger at my desk that I use for my MacBook, meaning battery life at my desk or couch will never be a concern. When I'm out and about I'll buy 2-3 extra packs to keep things going for longer, such as on a plane. As a software engineer, this truly is going to be such an amazing product for my work and for developing new apps and experiences that I had never even dreamt about. Cannot wait to get this and will absolutely be buying it on day 1.

[eastmanwebb]

Regarding the price, I think some context is needed. When the first handheld cellphone was released, it cost $4, 000, which is $11, 000 in 2023 money. What Apple is asking is quite reasonable for a first generation spatial computing system.

[davidlemieux]

These guys keep claiming the Vision Pro is expensive but… Microsoft HoloLens 2 is 3500$ USD, VARJO has three 1990€, 3645€ and 6495€ that’s 2132$, 3926$ and 6996$ in USD… now THATS expensive!
And the specs on these two brands seem to fall FAR short of the Vision Pro.
Guys, I don’t understand you.

[DarkFire]

I agree that what was revealed a couple of days ago is probably a 'generation zero' product that's not really intended to be a wide market consumer device. Gen 0 is probably aimed at software developers and early corporate adopters. It wouldn't surprise me if we see a 2nd or 3rd generation device that's aimed at the wider consumer market and at a $2K - 2.5K price point.

[pedrofonseca]

"3000 way to much, 3500 wow", say the guys that make extremely less complex products that are sold for more than that :)

[vernearase]

Y'all are looking at this wrong - it's not an AR/VR headset - it's an Apple Computer with a spacial interface, the same way that a Mac is an Apple computer with a WIMP interface or an iPhone/iPad is an Apple computer with a multitouch interface.

Apple Vision Pro is a full-on computer with _can_ be used as an AR or VR headset, but that's really a subset of its capabilities. Its inputs are gestures, eyeballs, and voice and its output is 3D video and spacial audio, but at its heart it's yet another Apple computer. You can run the applications you know on it and it deeply integrates into the Apple ecosystem.

Y'all sitting around a table talking about it - maybe even without understanding what it is - reminds me of readings at Passover with the rabbis sitting around a table drinking Manischewitz trying to one up each other talking up the impacts of the plagues in Egypt.

Methinks you ought to try it before you evaluate it, and maybe then you'll have some basis for the discussion.

Say _Hi_ to Rabbi Jose for me … 😁

[tomlee]

I think people are looking at this wrong - just compare the bill of materials inside the vision pro, unique manufacturing equipment and tools that have to be made. Yes 3, 500 is alot of money and it's not for the average consumer by a mile. If your macbook air is costing 1299, then you add micro-oleds which are not even available at high volume - if yields are super low then you are spending more cost per die on a wafer. This is at a minimum 2000 product. 3000 isn't that far off with all things considered. Just because Apple is the richest and most profitable company in the world shouldn't be a reason for a business to sell at a loss. As technology does get better over the years, manufacturing is optimized, these prices will start to reduce to a saturated value that is more friendly for consumers.

[Aggielife]

The question is can another tech company launch a competitor product at a lower price that will also offer an exact experience as far as performance. I would say no and this is why. A device like this is absolutely all about the experience and that experience is a combination of specs, ecosystem, attention to detail and trust. To have all of that and mail it at a cheaper price is damn near impossible at this point. I say all of this to justify that price tag Apple has. The only AR/VR set that comes close to matching what Vision Pro does is Varjo XR-3. That thing cost 6k and you have to plug it into a computer. There have been several leaks that this headset was the benchmark for Apple, not Quest or These other $500 sets focused on gaming.

[gxujltb]

Even at $3500 I'll bet there will be very long wait list to buy one. Apple is rumored to only be able to produce about 900K units the first year. Just the developers alone will probably purchase about 100k+ units. Apple has billions of affluent and enthusiastic customers around the world. There simply won't be enough supply to meet the demand. This is a company that sells $1500 iPhones and $4500 MacBook Pros with zero issues. When I bought my $5000 M1 Max MBP it took 6 months to get it. $3500 for a product with this much technology is a steal. The Varjo XR-3 is twice as expensive and does less than the Vision Pro.

[surfntrucks]

Apple is on to something with the Vision Pro. Here I am, seeing this channel for the first time, just to hear them talk about the Apple vision pro. I've never been this interested in VR/AR in my life. I can't wait to see this thing in real life. ABYSS, the Vision Pro uses a middle strap to make the Vision Pro more comfortable to wear. Make ABYSS Headphones be that middle start that adds comfort to the Vision Pro and the best audio quality for the Vision Pro. The middle engineer touched on it around 5:30. The Vision Pro doesn't have to offer the best audio. Just the best visuals. Let an audio company like yours do the heavy lifting. Make the strap, that's actually Abyss Headphones. It's just an engineering problem but you guys can do it.

[dannymartial]

They never use the word “retina” once during the presentation or promo website. Which worries me that we’ll be able to see the individual pixels. The resolution number doesn’t mean anything if we don’t know the strength of the magnifying lens on the headset

[productjoe]

I’m pretty sure Apple are making a loss on each unit to spur the software market. The nearest competitor (spec-wise) is the Varjo XR-3 at twice the price, and I’ve heard rumour that Apple are getting only a 20% pass rate at QA.

I’m looking at this as an alternative productivity tool that I could use in places I’d use a desktop or laptop. I could get rid of my desk setup and make more room in my house. Think about how this would combine with tech like Microsoft Copilot too, and the UX possibilities there as we move beyond walled apps.

[xanderrevels-velez]

they talked about games available at the start, have any of you used the headset? very disappointed with the options without using it.

[egregs]

they do have spatial audio speakers built in. it's just not noise cancelling. that's why the person on the plane watching a movie used AirPods in the demo.

[amaly]

"it's very expensive.." the irony all Abyss headphones start at $3000 and up lol.

[Sparkveibe]

AppleVisionPro has a M2. So for me it is a mac on your head with 4K screens and all these. So, I believe even at 3500 it will be a big product.

[marqusee]

Gaze only inputs is rad for stationary panels, but when it comes to locomotion its very very limited. How the heck is apple going to deal with that?

[iwantthatcom]

We are in a period when people paying more than $10K over MSRP forToyotas and Fords, I won't be surprise if this Apple Vision Pro becomes a hit, what with 0% equal monthly installment payments on Apple Pay