14 Days to Return: Will I or Won't I?

[geauxmac]

Been following along but the latest updates aren’t making much sense to me. The first plane trip went well for you. The return trip your devices needed charged and cables were a mess. I think that can be mitigated some (though I don’t work on planes…that’s just me..not worth hassle).

But everything sounds generally positive but maybe for some eye strain or tiredness from using the ui. You even rave about the solo strap and comfort which is kind of a big thing if you plan on keeping.

Then this Dropbox thing. Is it even important to have if you use your Mac to do the work? All the files would be on Mac or accessed from Dropbox via Mac anyways. Is there some vision or iPad app you’d use? I’d imagine Dropbox is coming. But issues like this will pop up on a gen 0 device and 1.0 os.

I guess all I’m saying is I’d focus on that Mac use with avp. There’s negatives to every device.

I’m having same thoughts on the daily reports now in that the device doesn’t seem to be being used for anything it’s meant to be used for and not being judged fairly.
Also, OP hasn’t tried some of the things mentioned in day 9 such as immersive videos and gaming.

I personally don’t use drop box but I use iCloud and it’s super easy to transfer files directly from iCloud onto the AVP hard drive for easy offline access.

I’ve got 8 days left to return. Im currently at a 70/30 keep due to the entertainment use. A virtual movie theater, immersive videos and immersive games are incredible. Equating what I like about it to a $3800 value is definitely a tough issue. If I returned, I know I would likely buy it again when more content comes out or if there’s a price drop.

The biggest negative is that this is a solo device and I’m alienating myself from my partner if I want to use it in the evening when we are both home.

 

[robgreene]

Been following along but the latest updates aren’t making much sense to me.

Great questions @cardfan - let me try and add a little extra context:

The first plane trip went well for you. The return trip your devices needed charged and cables were a mess. I think that can be mitigated some (though I don’t work on planes…that’s just me..not worth hassle).

This is all true. The first plane trip (with everything fully charged) went well (although admittedly I did find myself watching Star Wars more than working, haha). It was under optimal conditions, which anyone who travels regularly can attest is not always the case. Observing how much bulk is added under suboptimal charging conditions gave me a more robust picture of what this device is like during travel. And that picture was one I found less desirable than the experience I had the first time around.

everything sounds generally positive but maybe for some eye strain or tiredness from using the ui. You even rave about the solo strap and comfort which is kind of a big thing if you plan on keeping.

My aim with these posts from the beginning has been to provide a more moderate, thorough take on using an Apple Vision Pro. What I have observed in these forums has largely been polarized. People either praising the device without truly acknowledging its flaws, or hating on the device without/before truly giving it a fair shake. It is my view that there are both positives and negatives to the Apple Vision Pro, and I wanted to highlight both. To that end, there is much to celebrate here, and that's why I continue to celebrate those positives despite moving toward a conclusion that this first version of the Apple Vision Pro is not for me. I want people who come across this thread to see more than just "loved it but returned it"... I want to articulate what specifically I'm loving ABOUT the device, in case that's the very thing someone else may need it for.

Then this Dropbox thing. Is it even important to have if you use your Mac to do the work? All the files would be on Mac or accessed from Dropbox via Mac anyways. Is there some vision or iPad app you’d use? I’d imagine Dropbox is coming. But issues like this will pop up on a gen 0 device and 1.0 os.

I guess all I’m saying is I’d focus on that Mac use with avp. There’s negatives to every device.

Again, everything you say here has validity, and the question you raise is a great one. For me, the primary use of my Mac for work is editing photos in Lightroom, an app and feature I do not expect to be native to Vision Pro anytime soon, so I have no problem pulling out my laptop and connection to AVP for that purpose. But there are hundreds of other frequent uses I have for my Mac that could all EASILY be accomplished with an AVP... IF I had Dropbox access. This would also eliminate some of the travel bulk issues as well, allowing me to send and edit other documents for work while leaving my Mac in my backpack. This is an easy one to fix down the road, and in and of itself would not be a dealbreaker if I was heavily leaning toward keeping the device... Dropbox will come around eventually. But given my leanings toward returning, this key missing app/feature may seal the deal.

Ultimately these latest posts are less of an indictment on the Apple Vision Pro, and more of a reflection of the fact that it's time to make a decision because of the realities that come with any return window. My hope is to own a future version of the Apple Vision Pro one day. I think what they're building is worth the price and more, once its feature set has matured. I could even see myself picking up a refurbished model at a lesser price down the road as a stopgap, because the experience is truly phenomenal. But while the clock is ticking on my window to return and get my $5000 back, wisdom is leading me to believe returning is the best option at this time.

I appreciate the thoughtful reply / questions. Hope this adds some clarity.

 

[heretic51]

AVP is literally the most incredible piece of technology I have ever used. I lost so much sleep trying to get my pre-order in last month. That being said, I returned mine yesterday.

 

[4sallypat]

AVP is literally the most incredible piece of technology I have ever used. I lost so much sleep trying to get my pre-order in last month. That being said, I returned mine yesterday.

Yes agree as all the hype and limited Apple produced videos w/ scripted users have shown.

Same here - lost sleep on prelaunch order day (5am west coast time) and tracking it till launch day.

But after 10 days, it failed to meet my needs but I learned a lot about Vision OS v1.

Hopefully Apple will make changes to subsequent designs and open up the device so that those that are heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem can use it.

 

[robgreene]

I’m having same thoughts on the daily reports now in that the device doesn’t seem to be being used for anything it’s meant to be used for and not being judged fairly.

@geauxmac can you clarify which uses I'm using it for that you feel are outside of the devices intent, leading to unfair judgment? So far the bulk of my use has been around immersion, 3D content consumption, gaming, video calls, and working via virtual Mac display, all of which are frequently highlighted recommended uses by Apple. I'd be happy to test anything else out that you feel is within the core uses of the device, I just need to know what those things are (in your estimation).

Also, OP hasn’t tried some of the things mentioned in day 9 such as immersive videos and gaming.

I've documented my use of both of these in earlier daily reports. Day 3 I even so far as to rate specific game usage. The only thing I have left to test (in my estimation) is Apple Arcade games that use a controller. That will be coming before I make a final decision on the device, though it won't have a huge sway on my final decision (I'm more of a PS5 / Switch guy for games).

I personally don’t use drop box but I use iCloud and it’s super easy to transfer files directly from iCloud onto the AVP hard drive for easy offline access.

I've considered the possibility of switching to iCloud Drive, but at my current storage capacity (40-50 terabytes), it would cost an additional $2000+ annually at this time. Once Dropbox adds their app, it'll be a huge productivity boost for Dropbox users.

I’ve got 8 days left to return. Im currently at a 70/30 keep due to the entertainment use. A virtual movie theater, immersive videos and immersive games are incredible. Equating what I like about it to a $3800 value is definitely a tough issue. If I returned, I know I would likely buy it again when more content comes out or if there’s a price drop.

The biggest negative is that this is a solo device and I’m alienating myself from my partner if I want to use it in the evening when we are both home.

If you're getting a lot of value out of the entertainment uses, I definitely think you'd be a prime candidate for keeping the device. In our home, we have both an 85" and 120" displays (which also conveniently address your biggest negative of communal enjoyment of entertainment), so this value does not kick in for me until I'm on the road. I definitely see the AVP as a fantastic alternative to consider for anyone who is in the market for high end, large screen, solo media consumption device. The movie viewing experience is fantastic! At the same time, I'm not sure how often I could watch movies on it, given the impact on my eyes (mentioned on Day 3 and Day 5).

And that, for me sums up the nuance of evaluating a device like the Apple Vision Pro. The experience is SO personalized from user to user, that just because I may draw a particular conclusion from use of it, doesn't mean the next person will draw the same conclusion. Which, again, points back to my original purpose in this thread: to give an honest and thorough assessment of the positives and negatives I've experienced working with it, to help offer a more middle-of-the-road perspective on what it's been like to use the Vision Pro and assess it's fit in my own personal life and workflow.

Hope you'll take a moment to share those more traditional use cases you feel like I've missed... would love to test them out more thoroughly!

 

[turbineseaplane]

The biggest negative is that this is a solo device and I’m alienating myself from my partner if I want to use it in the evening when we are both home.

More than a negative and even a complete deal breaker for a LOT of people

 

[geauxmac]

@geauxmac can you clarify which uses I'm using it for that you feel are outside of the devices intent, leading to unfair judgment? So far the bulk of my use has been around immersion, 3D content consumption, gaming, video calls, and working via virtual Mac display, all of which are frequently highlighted recommended uses by Apple. I'd be happy to test anything else out that you feel is within the core uses of the device, I just need to know what those things are (in your estimation).


I've documented my use of both of these in earlier daily reports. Day 3 I even so far as to rate specific game usage. The only thing I have left to test (in my estimation) is Apple Arcade games that use a controller. That will be coming before I make a final decision on the device, though it won't have a huge sway on my final decision (I'm more of a PS5 / Switch guy for games).


I've considered the possibility of switching to iCloud Drive, but at my current storage capacity (40-50 terabytes), it would cost an additional $2000+ annually at this time. Once Dropbox adds their app, it'll be a huge productivity boost for Dropbox users.

If you're getting a lot of value out of the entertainment uses, I definitely think you'd be a prime candidate for keeping the device. In our home, we have both an 85" and 120" displays (which also conveniently address your biggest negative of communal enjoyment of entertainment), so this value does not kick in for me until I'm on the road. I definitely see the AVP as a fantastic alternative to consider for anyone who is in the market for high end, large screen, solo media consumption device. The movie viewing experience is fantastic! At the same time, I'm not sure how often I could watch movies on it, given the impact on my eyes (mentioned on Day 3 and Day 5).

And that, for me sums up the nuance of evaluating a device like the Apple Vision Pro. The experience is SO personalized from user to user, that just because I may draw a particular conclusion from use of it, doesn't mean the next person will draw the same conclusion. Which, again, points back to my original purpose in this thread: to give an honest and thorough assessment of the positives and negatives I've experienced working with it, to help offer a more middle-of-the-road perspective on what it's been like to use the Vision Pro and assess it's fit in my own personal life and workflow.

Hope you'll take a moment to share those more traditional use cases you feel like I've missed... would love to test them out more thoroughly!

Thanks for clarifying. I was referring to the what’s left in your day 9, namely the immersive shows. The overhead strap is worth trying, to me it makes it more comfortable.

If I do return, I’m upgrading from a 65 Oled to a 77 Oled tv as a compromise. 😅

 

[techno-Zen]

I returned it after a day and went back to Quest 3. I was disappointed in Vision pro's passthrough quality and just overall usability. I typically just want to watch movies or Youtube content with the headset when doing other things. The Quest 3 does a great job of that and honestly the passthrough isn't THAT much better on the Vision Pro. The fidelity of the graphical elements is definitely better on Vision Pro though.

I also HATED that I couldn't use the Vision Pro in a dark room, At least I can use controllers to control the Quest 3 in that situation, along with games.

One thing that DID impress the hell out of me was the Eye tracking. That really was the apple magic with Vision Pro.

But Generally, the attached battery, dissapointing passthrough, the weight of the device AND the lesser field of vision (FOV) in Vision Pro compared to Quest 3 was enough for me.

If the prices were comparable or even $1500 I probably would've kept Vision Pro but I don't need the apple Ecosystem in a device that I'll only watch video content in for $4000. I'll use my phone for everything else.

TLDR: Quest 3 is a great value that does 85% of what Vision Pro does if you don't need your entire apple ecosystem accessible from a headset.

 

[mattopotamus]

I returned it after a day and went back to Quest 3. I was disappointed in Vision pro's passthrough quality and just overall usability. I typically just want to watch movies or Youtube content with the headset when doing other things. The Quest 3 does a great job of that and honestly the passthrough isn't THAT much better on the Vision Pro. The fidelity of the graphical elements is definitely better on Vision Pro though.

I also HATED that I couldn't use the Vision Pro in a dark room, At least I can use controllers to control the Quest 3 in that situation, along with games.

One thing that DID impress the hell out of my was the Eye tracking. That really was the apple magic with Vision Pro.

But Generally, the attached battery, dissapointing passthrough, the weight of the device AND the lesser field of vision (FOV) in Vision Pro compared to Quest 3 was enough for me.

If the prices were comparably or even $1500 I probably would've kept Vision Pro but I don't need the apple Ecosystem in a device that I'll only watch video content in for $4000. I'll use my phone for everything else.

TLDR: Quest 3 is a great value that does 85% of what Vision Pro does if you don't need your entire apple ecosystem accessible from a headset.

It really is incredible. The more you use the device, the more you become a wizard with the UI. I found myself staring at things once I would take the headset off. You do not realize how often you work on a PC and are not actually looking at what you are interacting with until you use the Vision Pro.

 

[techno-Zen]

It really is incredible. The more you use the device, the more you become a wizard with the UI. I found myself staring at things once I would take the headset off. You do not realize how often you work on a PC and are not actually looking at what you are interacting with until you use the Vision Pro.

Yeah, but the downside is that I found it distracting when using Youtube in Safari for example. I'd look around at the video title, progress timeline, etc and it was distracting. But either way, that was magical. I want this on an iPhone/iPad so you don't even need to tap the screen.

 

[B S Magnet]

More than a negative and even a complete deal breaker for a LOT of people

I’m inclined to conclude the AVP’s reception, much less its raison d‘être, might have been more resounding, conclusive, and warmer from all consumer areas had it been released, say, in April 2020 and at a significantly lower price point, when social, in-person time with others became severely constrained.

As it turned out, once pandemic lockdowns receded, the notion of being glued to a screen (or AR space) constantly, especially for solo activity (i.e., not watching a video together with others), seemed to have lost some of its futurist lustre. The AVP remains a solution searching madly for a problem — much as “driverless cars” are.

 

[BayouTiger]

After a week, I am still trying to sort it out myself. Some days I can wear it for hours and all is well. Others I can't barely tolerate it at all.

I found that using iCloud Drive works well for transferring content for viewing, though it's slow and takes quite awhile to send a 4K movie over. It would just take some planning to download them before a trip or such.

I think the biggest disappointment is how kludgy using the virtual display function is on my Studio. Just not as sharp as other content.

But overall it's been enjoyable. My wife is a big reader while I am a big youtube junkie and Juno makes that a great experience on the AVP.

 

[laestrella]

After a week, I am still trying to sort it out myself. Some days I can wear it for hours and all is well. Others I can't barely tolerate it at all.

That sounds reasonable. Is the AVP meant to be worn and used every day though? I guess I'm treating this device like my iPad. Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't. I think it's because it's new that people feel like they need to constantly play with it to justify their purchase but we aren't sitting there holding our other devices for hours on end without some break. Heck, sometimes I hate all tech and just want to purge everything.

I also want to understand if most people are buying the AVP as their only computer? I feel like we are treating this device likes it's supposed to be used more than any other Apple tech and maybe that's because it's expensive but I'm not buying that argument. Macbooks can be just as expensive and we are not trying to use it for 12 hours in the day or make them into our everything and do everything device. These are all tools and sometimes the VP is the best tool for the job and sometimes it's not.

More than a negative and even a complete deal breaker for a LOT of people

I'm really trying to understand the partner alienation thing. Do couples not have activities that they do independently of their spouse? How is using the VP different from curling up and reading a good book on your own or having a hobby like gaming and your spouse doesn't enjoy it? Is it because the other person won't know what you are looking at and it feels secretive? Or is that you both want to watch movies together, for example, and can't because you would need more than one and maybe it's cost prohibitive or the other person doesn't like it?

If you want to do an activity together in the evening then do it together and put the VP down. But I guess this goes back to my point of people feeling like they have to use this thing all the time. Just because it's there doesn't mean it's appropriate in every situation to strap something to your face while you're trying to have a conversation or try to multitask if you are trying to spend quality time. And this goes for the iPad/phone/any other tech or simply any distractions in your life that don't need to be.

I'm a married woman with a 12 year old. I've had the AVP since launch and used it throughout the day and took it off when I needed to do things with the family and this has not been my experience; the alienation. But I just wanted to understand this point a bit more. Not trying to offend anyone just genuinely curious.

 

[Schlotkins]

That sounds reasonable. Is the AVP meant to be worn and used every day though? I guess I'm treating this device like my iPad. Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't. I think it's because it's new that people feel like they need to constantly play with it to justify their purchase but we aren't sitting there holding our other devices for hours on end without some break. Heck, sometimes I hate all tech and just want to purge everything.

I also want to understand if most people are buying the AVP as their only computer? I feel like we are treating this device likes it's supposed to be used more than any other Apple tech and maybe that's because it's expensive but I'm not buying that argument. Macbooks can be just as expensive and we are not trying to use it for 12 hours in the day or make them into our everything and do everything device. These are all tools and sometimes the VP is the best tool for the job and sometimes it's not.



I'm really trying to understand the partner alienation thing. Do couples not have activities that they do independently of their spouse? How is using the VP different from curling up and reading a good book on your own or having a hobby like gaming and your spouse doesn't enjoy it? Is it because the other person won't know what you are looking at and it feels secretive? Or is that you both want to watch movies together, for example, and can't because you would need more than one and maybe it's cost prohibitive or the other person doesn't like it?

If you want to do an activity together in the evening then do it together and put the VP down. But I guess this goes back to my point of people feeling like they have to use this thing all the time. Just because it's there doesn't mean it's appropriate in every situation to strap something to your face while you're trying to have a conversation or try to multitask if you are trying to spend quality time. And this goes for the iPad/phone/any other tech or simply any distractions in your life that don't need to be.

I'm a married woman with a 12 year old. I've had the AVP since launch and used it throughout the day and took it off when I needed to do things with the family and this has not been my experience; the alienation. But I just wanted to understand this point a bit more. Not trying to offend anyone just genuinely curious.

It probably depends on your relationship situation. You have one kid that is 12 and is probably pretty independent.

I have two kids - 1 and 3. There isn't a lot of down time there. You are busy until you go to work, you are busy after work, you are tired by bed time but still have chores to do and then the weekends are crazy. Sure there are different hobbies for both, but not a lot of time at this point for those things. Golf is by far my favorite hobby. Pre kids I'd play 40 times a year. I probably play 4 now. So there is just a very limited amount of free time per week and most of that I feel needs to be invested in the relationship.

Of course, it also just depends on your relationship. If pre AVP you have a lot of solo time, then integrating the AVP isn't a problem. If you are doing your own thing but physically together still, probably the AVP is a bit of an isolator then.

 

[geauxmac]

Using the AVP this evening has been a bit frustrating when using YouTube and YouTube tv through safari. The eye tracking is way off or isn’t working at all. For instance I can look at 3 menu items but can’t select the middle option of the 3. See screen shot to illustrate.

I’m finding safari in general on other sites to also be cumbersome to use. I ended up just taking the set off and going back to using my tv and MacBook for the rest of the night. 😕

 

[thatsmyfish]

I’m at the 2 hour mark and I can’t imagine I won’t be returning it tomorrow, but I’ll give it one more try in the morning.

First, I just want to say the geniuses and staff were amazing and worked with me above and beyond. I had a really difficult time getting a light seal. The gap at the bottom was bothersome in store, and we eventually settled on 23W. I noticed a bad glare in store caused by light coming in through the nose, but the ZEISS inserts seemed to fix it, as did covering my nose without the inserts.

Since trying my unit, I’m not impressed. It’s late, and I’m sitting in a well lit room, but the glare is atrocious and is not impacted by the nose opening. I wanted to be able to watch movies in cinema mode and the glare is not confined to the top of the screen, as it was without ZEISS inserts at the store. It’s virtually unwatchable.

It looks like I’ll be sticking with a Quest 2.

 

[Jamacfer]

I’m inclined to conclude the AVP’s reception, much less its raison d‘être, might have been more resounding, conclusive, and warmer from all consumer areas had it been released, say, in April 2020 and at a significantly lower price point, when social, in-person time with others became severely constrained.

As it turned out, once pandemic lockdowns receded, the notion of being glued to a screen (or AR space) constantly, especially for solo activity (i.e., not watching a video together with others), seemed to have lost some of its futurist lustre. The AVP remains a solution searching madly for a problem — much as “driverless cars” are.

I believe the APV is still immature but with great potential. For the foreseeable future it will simply stand alongside without replacing other devices. It is obviously aimed at an enthusiast audience with disposable income or developers etc. I think it is a definite strategy of Apple that in the future will release versions aimed at the average consumer (maybe a non-Pro version) or maybe try a different approach but I think this new interface will be the future. Having said that, I wonder what idea of technological progress the people who criticize AVP or driverless cars etc. have. Do they look forward to an even more powerful gasoline engine with manual gears? Do they dream of an even bigger, faster smartphone that takes photos with more megapixels? But please, then, let's not complain that by now the "same boring" iPhone is released every year etc. Technological progress has always been made by more or less successful attempts and has always been slowed down by people with little imagination (sometimes, sure, even naive). PS. The AVP price certainly isn't low, but an handbag from some well-known brand can cost much, much more and yet the downtown stores are crowded...

 

[4sallypat]

..... The AVP price certainly isn't low, but an handbag from some well-known brand can cost much, much more and yet the downtown stores are crowded...

Boy, that's a fact!

My wife picked up a $4200 LV bag in Venice Italy and that's a bargain compared to buying in the USA.

 

[pugxiwawa]

Boy, that's a fact!

My wife picked up a $4200 LV bag in Venice Italy and that's a bargain compared to buying in the USA.

View attachment 2348912

yes but luxury designer handbag typically keeps their values and even appreciates. We know in 12 month when Apple releases VP2 the value of VP1 will plummet. Yes all tech things depreciate but I think Apple made a lot of compromise to get the current version of VP out of the door. There are a lot of kinks needed to be worked out. VP2/VP3 will be much better. Just look at the history of Apple Watch 1, that was a painful lesson for me.

 

[Jamacfer]

yes but luxury designer handbag typically keeps their values and even appreciates. We know in 12 month when Apple releases VP2 the value of VP1 will plummet. Yes all tech things depreciate but I think Apple made a lot of compromise to get the current version of VP out of the door. There are a lot of kinks needed to be worked out. VP2/VP3 will be much better. Just look at the history of Apple Watch 1, that was a painful lesson for me.

That’s not completely true…Fashion changes every year (that's why there are fashion shows in Milan or Paris)! 😉
And, by the way, it's true, 1.0 versions are always that way not only for AVP, it's the price (in every sense of the word) that some of us are willing to pay to try out the latest technology. I, for example, was super happy to have purchased the Apple Watch as soon as it came out.

 

[robgreene]

DAY 11​

Movies and games mostly, along with a short-lived attempt to edit photos... and I finally tried out the much-celebrated dual strap. Here are my reactions:

PROs:
• Watching Star Wars: Episode VIII with the built in speakers was a joy. For me, the volume was the perfect mix of feeling immersed without damaging hearing.
• The immersive shows tv episodes (I watched one with dinosaurs and one of a tightrope walker) were pretty amazing, though not without drawbacks (more on that in CONs below). When the girl (Spoiler Alert) falls off the rope, I gasped and almost fell over myself, haha!
• Pairing a Nintendo Switch Pro Remote with the AVP was quick and easy.
• The game I played (NBA2K24) seemed to know it was connected to a Switch remote, and displayed the proper buttons for that remote on menu items.
• Finally ran out of battery, and was pleased to see the Vision Pro gives you a 30s timer to plug in before it fully powers off.
• Unpopular opinion, but for me, the Solo band continues to delight. I really believe what most people are referring to as the "weight" of the AVP comes down more to the PRESSURE they feel against their face when using the solo band, which I have not felt bothersome at all.

CONs:
• Knowing how much people have raved about the dual strap, I was excited to try it out for myself. As much as I've enjoyed the solo band, I had high hopes for what the dual strap would feel like. Unfortunately, I found it to be a total bust. I barely felt any difference, and still experienced the same screen shake with every step while walking.
• NBA 2K24 was awful. If I'm hooking up console game controllers to play games, I'm expecting a console level experience. NBA 2K24 felt inferior to the PS5 and even Switch versions of 2K on every level you could evaluate it. If remote-based gameplay is what you're looking for from your AVP, you'll likely want to pass on V1.
• Immersive content available at launch suffers from a few notable limitations. (1) there's not much of it, (2) what IS available is short - 5-10 minutes in most cases, and (3) it's not FULLY immersive. After having spent so much time in Apple and Disney's fully immersive environments, I was disappointed to learn that Immersive shows have a viewing angle more akin to the Panaromas saved in your Photos app than a fully immersive environment.
• After having really sharp view of my virtual desktop in previous editing sessions, today's was very soft focus. For photo editing, that's just a non-starter. Hoping it was user error, and will be better/fixable next time I try.

OVERALL AND WHAT’S NEXT LEFT:
It's hard to overstate how enjoyable it is to watch 3D movies on the Vision Pro... video consumption is the Apple Vision Pro's sweet spot. I fully plan to finish watching the final Star Wars trilogy today after how much I've enjoyed watching the first 2 The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi on the Vision Pro.

Today will likely be my last full day with Apple's glimpse into the future. Tomorrow, I'll document the return proces. To be honest, I'm not looking forward to it... despite realizing that the feature set for the price point is not an investment I'm looking to make at this time, I'm genuinely enjoying using the Vision Pro, and will miss having it around for movies and remote editing sessions (which explains the slight bump below). I'll also include some Final Thoughts, including several overarching sentiments I've been saving for my final review.

WILL I OR WON'T I RETURN IT?
Day 1: 75/25 returning
Day 2: 60/40 returning
Day 3: 65/35 returning
Day 4: 55/45 returning
Day 5: 55/45 keeping
Day 6: 60/40 keeping
Day 7: 55/55 returning
Day 8: 80/20 returning
Day 9: 90/10 returning
Day 10: 95/5 returning
Day 11: 90/10 returning

 

[MockT]

That's my sentiment also. I want to keep it but it would be stupid to keep it. It's too expensive to not feel guilty when you're not using it - so the price locks you into a pattern you might not be comfortable with.

Also, I feel like I'd be setting fire to $2000 the minute I am out of the return window. I'd never be able to move this device for anything approaching its purchasing cost. So I can see myself scanning the secondary market for a bargain towards the end of the year. I'll feel better about the deal and come back to an OS experience that by that point will be much more refined.

 

[pugxiwawa]

That’s not completely true…Fashion changes every year (that's why there are fashion shows in Milan or Paris)! 😉
And, by the way, it's true, 1.0 versions are always that way not only for AVP, it's the price (in every sense of the word) that some of us are willing to pay to try out the latest technology. I, for example, was super happy to have purchased the Apple Watch as soon as it came out.

Luxury designer like Chanel has basically kept up with inflation and even outperformed. They raise price every year to account for increase in both labor and material cost, and it is a much better 'investment' than any technology item, which follows by a complete inverse curve.

Understanding the Latest 2025 Chanel Bag Price Hikes and the Resale Market

What’s driving Chanel’s 2025 price surges? Learn how the rising costs influence the resale market and what collectors need to know.

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In any case, I'm happy that you are able to afford and satisfied with the purchase. But I think for majority of people it's much better and wise to wait for V2/V3...etc.

 

[B S Magnet]

Having said that, I wonder what idea of technological progress the people who criticize AVP or driverless cars etc. have. Do they look forward to an even more powerful gasoline engine with manual gears? Do they dream of an even bigger, faster smartphone that takes photos with more megapixels?

Well, it is my fault for bringing up driverless cars as a solution in search for a problem, and I know your reaction to that was of anger (see your reaction to my post earlier). But “more powerful gasoline engine with manual gears” is a paradigm stuck inside a box of thinking I reject and not where I was going with that.

Rather, a tested, tried solution to a problem in this case starts with robust funding for public transit infrastructure. It continues with (re)-developing for proximal (nearby) access to the everyday go-tos (like groceries, dining, work, your kids’ schools). Silicon Valley technologists thinking they’re doing an end-run around trained, specialized experts in urban planning by pouring billions into R&D and testing for driverless cars as an answer to human-operated cars is a marque of hubris wrought by a surprising case of the Dunning-Kruger. It’s also an Occam’s razor scenario: the best answer is probably the most straightforward and obvious. Here, the self-driving car is a Rube Goldberg machine.

This goes for other technology, as well, including the Apple VP. It is a contraption in search for a problem which, widely, doesn’t exist. Is there a purpose for AR goggles? Probably, but only in very specialized, already established applications, such as flight testing or, grimly, piloting a drone with weaponry to strike a target far away from where its goggles-wearing operator is located. Property developers may be one novel area where this tech might be useful, but again, to what end, other than to enrich the property developer’s ends — not to solve extant problems around shortages in housing.

There are, indeed and absolutely, countless innovations yet to be laid down to paper, to patent application, to prototype, and to deployment.

But many, if not most of these innovations don’t come — and won’t be coming — from the minds of folks who cluster in a self-ensconced area like Silicon Valley, whose ideas come principally from a steady diet of stale sci-fi television, cinema, gaming, and lit from forty years ago. This is why dreaming up technological solutions in mad searches for problems is a very cart-before-the-horse approach to coming up with innovation. Put another way, to that bubble: “Stop trying to make ‘fetch’ happen. ‘Fetch’ is never going to happen.”

But please, then, let's not complain that by now the "same boring" iPhone is released every year etc. Technological progress has always been made by more or less successful attempts and has always been slowed down by people with little imagination (sometimes, sure, even naive). PS. The AVP price certainly isn't low, but an handbag from some well-known brand can cost much, much more and yet the downtown stores are crowded...

Try not to mistake bona fide innovation borne out of necessity with the psychology around consumer (and consumption) culture in an aggressively capitalist society.

Moreover, smartphone/glassphone/slabphone makers, to be truly innovative, need to be thinking well beyond a one-year fiscal horizon or the quarterly earnings statement horizon and instead at the generational horizon beyond of the one now filling their coffers with cold, hard cash, as that nascent generation is already signalling, quite loudly in some cases, how they’re less moved or dazzled by all this data-harvesting tech than their elders have been. That’s something tech companies ought to be paying especial notice to right now if they should hope to stay atop the business heap in a decade or more.

Luxury designer like Chanel has basically kept up with inflation and even outperformed. They raise price every year to account for increase in both labor and material cost, and it is a much better 'investment' than any technology item, which follows by a complete inverse curve.

Indeed. And luxury brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, and so on produce products which were designed, from the outset, to last for a very long time and to maintain their value and demand. The same cannot be said of Vision Pro or even early series Apple Watches no longer being supported by Apple.

 

[AdonisSMU]

I go by the if I was a millionaire test to determine if ill keep a device Ive purchased. I want retirns to be about the functionality plus my experience using the device and not about the money spent.

I find ill return products I like only to repurchase them later anyway.