My VR development journey started in the Summer of 2023 at the XR Collaboratory. Incidentally, my first day coincided with the announcement of the Apple Vision Pro. The excitement in the room was palpable as we sat through WWDC with bated breath for “One More Thing”.
After many months, in that very same room, I got my hands on the spatial computing device. Here are my initial impressions:
Build
The device amalgamates everything that has come before it, and the classic Apple craftsmanship shines through. One gripe I have is that the two pieces in the front attach magnetically. Be careful when handling the device. Otherwise, it will detach, and the screen will fall to its demise. And let’s talk about that battery pack – it’s surprisingly weighty. I’m hoping for a sleeker solution in future iterations.
Passthrough
The video passthrough on the Vision Pro is hands down the best I’ve experienced. Sure, it has its quirks in low light, but interacting seamlessly with the real world through the headset is a game-changer.
Fidelity
Encounter Dinosaurs left me in awe with its stunning 3D experience. And don’t even get me started on the meditation app – I had to take a seat! The level of immersion and fidelity in VR has truly reached new heights, and I love how solid the app windows feel once placed in the real world.
Vision OS
Over the years, I have become a fan of Apple’s software design. It is always the small, thoughtful bits that delight me. Vision OS builds on a fantastic base. I like the glassy panes. The experience is familiar if you have used any Apple device. The ability to connect your Macbook and have it blown up to a big screen is a testament to the power of that ecosystem. It just magically works! The eye tracking is wonderful when it works. Probably because the device may not be calibrated for me, but navigating to the smaller menu items was a pain. I am also curious how effective eye tracking is for people with strabismus or glass eyes.
What’s next?
As a VR developer, I’m eager to see the barrier to entry (cost) for developing on the Vision Pro come down. After all, the success of any platform hinges on its apps and developers.
Apple’s biggest strength is how deeply it is entrenched in the zeitgeist. This feels like a moment in time, and the possibilities are endless.
#applevisionpro #vrdevelopment #ardevelopment #spatialcomputing
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