Apple Vision Pro Secondary Head Strap Design 'Yet to Be Finalized'

[MacRumors]

When Apple unveiled the Vision Pro at WWDC in June, members of the press invited to try out the headset were able to use an optional secondary head strap that sits across the top of the head. The strap was spotted in Apple's promotional videos for the mixed reality device, but its marketing material made no mention of the accessory.

Still from Apple's WWDC keynote video showing over-the-head strap in use​

The braided headband that goes around the back of the head has a fit adjustment dial, but the one headband may not be comfortable or secure enough for some users, especially if the device is going to be worn for extended periods of time, which is where the secondary over-the-head strap comes in.

But Apple has apparently not yet fine-tuned the secondary head strap. According to a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the secondary strap was introduced after testing determined that some people with smaller body sizes and heads struggle to wear the headset for more than half an hour or thereabouts. However, the design of the strap has "yet to be finalized," says Gurman.

One member of the press who got to try the headset in person at Apple Park was MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera. "A lot of people probably didn't know this just by looking at some press images, but there is another band that goes over the top of your head," said Dan in his initial impressions video.

In his opinion, with the additional strap attached, the Vision Pro is "not that far off from other headsets in terms of weight," but it does "a really good job of dispersing that weight" and making it not so front-heavy. "I do think most people will want to use it," he added.

Apple has not revealed the weight of the Vision Pro, but Apple's decision to offload the battery to an external pack highlights the need to keep the headset as light as possible. Apple is also apparently aware that some customers may not wear clothes with pockets capable of storing the battery pack, so it is considering asking accessory makers to create shoulder-worn pouches.

Other accessories could eventually be sold to protect the device, according to Gurman:

The company has found that the front of the headset could be prone to scratches, but it will likely outsource screen protectors to third-party makers as it does with its other products. Another concern: the front glass cracking if a user walks into a wall or an object. To help prevent such incidents, Apple has built in alerts to deter people from wearing the device while walking at certain speeds.

Gurman's latest report also reveals that Apple plans to launch the Vision Pro headset in the U.K. and Canada by the end of 2024, with preparations for the device's complex retail launch in the U.S. early next year already at an advanced stage.

Article Link: Apple Vision Pro Secondary Head Strap Design 'Yet to Be Finalized'

 

[FloridaScrubJay]

This is so unappealing. One of the few Apple products I have no interest in.

 

[sunapple]

Another concern: the front glass cracking if a user walks into a wall or an object. To help prevent such incidents, Apple has built in alerts to deter people from wearing the device while walking at certain speeds.

This sentence makes it sound like the front glass is more important than user safety. The fact that the alert will address both is a happy accident 😋

 

[Eriamjh1138@DAN]

The over-the-head strap is the most un-newsworthy thing about the headset.

It’s a strap.

What’s next, that the colors are not finalized?

 

[red elma]

No matter what size head you have the thing will slide down your head after long periods of usage without a strap holding it from the top. More so if the wearer is moving around constantly. Mass & Gravity!

 

[Edsel]

Apple will probably price the accessory "OTH" strap at $399.99.

 

[orbital~debris]

This is so unappealing. One of the few Apple products I have no interest in.

The secondary, over-the-head strap, or the Vision Pro?

 

[Skyscraperfan]

It will probably be available as an accessory for $299.

The weight seems to be the biggest problem. Many reviewers reported that Vision Pro quickly feels uncomfortable. And imagine you wear it in a hot environment.

 

[theluggage]

The over-the-head strap is the most un-newsworthy thing about the headset.

On the surface, yes, but comfort/practicality in long term use are going to be make-or-break if this is going to be more than an impressive demo.

 

[nt5672]

The strap should go front to back.

 

[unregbaron]

The battery worn on the back of the main headstrap might actually help balance it out, though I guess no good if seated in a high-backed chair.

 

[everlast3434]

Man, that guy looks so creepy lol.

 

[contacos]

It is kind of dumb that you have to fork out over 3k Dollars and then only you can truly use it because it needs to be perfectly adjusted for everyone individually. It is not like you can just hand over the device to a friend or your daughter to continue using it.

I am thinking of universities being interested in it for their labs but that does not really work either for what i mentioned above

 

[JulianL]

It will probably be available as an accessory for $299.

The weight seems to be the biggest problem. Many reviewers reported that Vision Pro quickly feels uncomfortable. And imagine you wear it in a hot environment.

Weight or balance - or both?

I've read some reviews commenting on how it feels front-heavy. Not surprising and something the head strap will presumably help with by making it feel more secure but when I read about the balance issues it reminded me of a friend giving me advice about Oculus Rift based on his experiences after buying one. His biggest piece of advice was for me to be sure to also buy the replacement strap with the extra battery (called the "elite" strap I think) to replace the basic strap that comes with the unit. My friend's advice was to buy that not based on wanting to extend the battery life but because the weight of the battery at the back improved the balance considerably and made the whole setup more stable.

I never went ahead and bought an Oculus Rift so I have no idea if his advice was accurate but it made me wonder if the same thing would benefit the Apple headset and, if so, whether Apple will bring out a replacement rear strap that either incorporates a battery or has a pouch at the back of the head that could hold the battery pack supplied in the box. Just intuitively I can imagine that balancing the front/back weight might give big benefits in terms of how secure the headset feels when worn that, as long as someone doesn't have a very weak neck, could far outweigh the disadvantage of the extra weight. More weight (within reason) that is well-balanced seems better to me that less weight that is badly balanced.

Everyone's perception of weight varies, most here are probably acutely aware of that after reading endless threads debating the "is it too heavy or not" aspect of the bigger iPhones. Reviews seem to think that the weight of the Vision Pro will be somewhere in the 453g to 690g range (https://www.androidauthority.com/apple-vision-pro-weight-3337674/). I have a pair of headphones weighing 677g that I can listen to for extended periods without really noticing them so if the Apple Vision Pro is at the lower end of that range I would think there is some scope for an optional strap upgrade with a supplementary battery to add some weight at the back. If however the weight is towards the top of that range then maybe pushing the weight any higher wouldn't be doable.

I suppose that once this thing comes out people can easily do their own experiments by simply taping the battery pack that comes with the device to the back of their headband and seeing if that makes the unit feel more secure & comfortable to wear or if it does make the whole thing just too heavy.

 

[newyorksole]

This is so unappealing. One of the few Apple products I have no interest in.

you do have some interest because you read/comment on the articles. if I’m not interested in something I don’t bother with it at all. Samsung devices, Google Pixel, Mac Pro etc.

but I guess we’re all different. 🤷🏾‍♂️

 

[danakin]

I can’t shake the feeling that, after several hours of use (especially in the summer), all the skin oils and and human nastiness will make this thing stink. Perhaps an iRefresher for $29.99 is also in development? Not to get too graphic but in-ear headphones are an example of the stuff we all ooze permeating a product.

 

[k1121j]

And for only 299.00 you can have one too

 

[segfaultdotorg]

They should call it the iStrap-on.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I can’t shake the feeling that, after several hours of use (especially in the summer), all the skin oils and and human nastiness will make this thing stink. Perhaps an iRefresher for $29.99 is also in development? Not to get too graphic but in-ear headphones are an example of the stuff we all ooze permeating a product.

Isn’t the entire front section that goes against your face, along with the light guard, backstrap, and top strap all magnetically interchangeable?
If so, should be a walk in the park to just… Take it off and clean it.

 

[arkitect]

The over-the-head strap is the most un-newsworthy thing about the headset.

It’s a strap.

What’s next, that the colors are not finalized?

As they say (or used to say)… "Stay tuned!"
I'm sure we'll hear all about it next week. 😄

No matter what size head you have the thing will slide down your head after long periods of usage without a strap holding it from the top. More so if the wearer is moving around constantly. Mass & Gravity!

Agreed.

I suspect exercising in this would be uncomfortably cumbersome, to put it mildly.

This is definitely a device made for sitting down and Apple et al hope, consuming more stuff™.

 

[BellSystem]

They were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they never stopped to think if they should.

 

[4nNtt]

A lot of arm chair industrial designers here. I think Apple might know a thing or two about product design.

 

[CarAnalogy]

To help prevent such incidents, Apple has built in alerts to deter people from wearing the device while walking at certain speeds.

So we’re going from don’t hold it like that to don’t walk like that.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Weight or balance - or both?

I've read some reviews commenting on how it feels front-heavy. Not surprising and something the head strap will presumably help with by making it feel more secure but when I read about the balance issues it reminded me of a friend giving me advice about Oculus Rift based on his experiences after buying one. His biggest piece of advice was for me to be sure to also buy the replacement strap with the extra battery (called the "elite" strap I think) to replace the basic strap that comes with the unit. My friend's advice was to buy that not based on wanting to extend the battery life but because the weight of the battery at the back improved the balance considerably and made the whole setup more stable.

I never went ahead and bought an Oculus Rift so I have no idea if his advice was accurate but it made me wonder if the same thing would benefit the Apple headset and, if so, whether Apple will bring out a replacement rear strap that either incorporates a battery or has a pouch at the back of the head that could hold the battery pack supplied in the box. Just intuitively I can imagine that balancing the front/back weight might give big benefits in terms of how secure the headset feels when worn that, as long as someone doesn't have a very weak neck, could far outweigh the disadvantage of the extra weight. More weight (within reason) that is well-balanced seems better to me that less weight that is badly balanced.

Everyone's perception of weight varies, most here are probably acutely aware of that after reading endless threads debating the "is it too heavy or not" aspect of the bigger iPhones. Reviews seem to think that the weight of the Vision Pro will be somewhere in the 453g to 690g range (https://www.androidauthority.com/apple-vision-pro-weight-3337674/). I have a pair of headphones weighing 677g that I can listen to for extended periods without really noticing them so if the Apple Vision Pro is at the lower end of that range I would think there is some scope for an optional strap upgrade with a supplementary battery to add some weight at the back. If however the weight is towards the top of that range then maybe pushing the weight any higher wouldn't be doable.

I suppose that once this thing comes out people can easily do their own experiments by simply taping the battery pack that comes with the device to the back of their headband and seeing if that makes the unit feel more secure & comfortable to wear or if it does make the whole thing just too heavy.

Center of gravity. Right now it seems the center is too far forward. I have tried the Quest 2 and your friend’s advice is correct. The counterweight helps a lot.

 

[McScooby]

Should go full tonto & have it as an optional extra that Airpods Max fill that gap, then again, that would be heavy!😂