Apple's Vision Pro Developer Labs Not Drawing Many Attendees

[Rogifan]

How can you be so sure? Have you tried Apple Vision Pro? If not, then your opinion holds no meaning.

Interestingly, the same people who predicted the failure of iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods are now saying the same about Vision Pro.

I didn’t predict failure for any of those products. I‘m predicting failure here for pretty obvious reasons. It’s a bulky headset that you have to wear on your face (and you look like a dork when wearing), Apple so far has not provided any compelling use cases and most importantly it costs $3500.

 

[Chazak]

IMO, it is very shortsighted of the development community if this is true. The future requires time and investment. Apple will find ways to push development along and provide incentives if they want it to move faster.

It is also understandable that a lot of developments operations may not have the resources to invest, time, money and Human Resources at this stage of the cycle.

 

[Chazak]

I don't see a reason for VR/AR headsets besides Games and Porn.

Respect your opinion, but it seems very shortsighted to me

 

[Rogifan]

The last really successful new product type were the AirPods (2016). And that’s because they provide a significant, easy to understand, and universally applicable practical benefit, the basic function is simple and “just works”, while also still being relatively affordable.

A clunky, expensive pie-in-the-sky high-concept product like the Vision Pro is bound to have a much, much harder time to find a sustainable audience.

Concept product is the perfect way to describe Vision Pro. Apple isn’t typically in the business of releasing concept products. I have a feeling this is a pet project of Tim Cook’s and that’s why all these company resources are behind it.

 

[Rogifan]

2 of those people used the device and one said if the sports works out as good as the demo they would buy the device JUST TO WATCH NBA games. In all caps to emphasize how amazing they thought the experience was.

Those people used it were blown away.

I think this device will be niche but apple didn’t listen to Jason Snell and decide let’s make the most complicated product in our history. They made it and blew the apple fans away.

Well you’re right it will be a niche product…for the Apple pundit community. Good for Jason Snell if he has $3500 to spend on a device to watch NBA games. Most people don’t.

 

[Rogifan]

IMO, it is very shortsighted of the development community if this is true. The future requires time and investment. Apple will find ways to push development along and provide incentives if they want it to move faster.

It is also understandable that a lot of developments operations may not have the resources to invest, time, money and Human Resources at this stage of the cycle.

Perhaps the developer community doesn’t see this as the future?

 

[cocky jeremy]

Like I said... DOA.

 

[Chazak]

Niche Market + Niche Product = Niche Interest.

That is pretty much what was said at one time about the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, etc.Point being, perhaps giving it some time to evolve would be a good strategy. It is reasonably clear that is Apple's intention.

 

[Chazak]

Perhaps the developer community doesn’t see this as the future?

That may very well be true. It wouldn't be the first time they were wrong or lacked "vision" or willingness to invest in the future.

 

[citysnaps]

If you need to research a use for a product then the product is a failure. Come up with the killer app FIRST and promote it with that.

Nope. If someone wants to close their eyes and chooses to not exercise their curiosity and imagination about new technology, and draw the conclusion that AR is only useful for games and porn, that's on the them.

There's a looong history here about people preordaining Apple products a flop: iPod, iPhone, iPad, Watch, AirPods, etc.

This just adds to the above list.

 

[Chazak]

Just because they buy iPhones, does not mean that serve the military market. You're not going to seen Apple AR/VR headsets in military use. The military, outside of iPhones, is strictly PC.

I know for a fact that statement is incorrect.

 

[Chazak]

Why don't we come back in five-7 years and tally up the rights and wrongs of the opinions offered in this thread.

 

[Smooley]

Honestly, who should be developing for this is websites/browsers. Just using an example, I search Wikipedia on the Abrams tank, pinch my finger and an Abrams shows up in my living room that I can manipulate, pinch again to enter for an interior view. I can double click my eyelids and it goes to actual size etc... I picture surfing the web as actual rabbit holes that I go down. Or I am looking at kitchen cabinets on Home Depot, grab the set I am interested in and place them around my kitchen all from the HD site/app. Three dimensional web development could be huge for this type of product.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

This is interesting. Contrast this situation with the iPhone, which had no dev kit, and yet there was a thriving community of developers figuring out how to hack and add apps to it.

Back then there were so many developers blogging and offering downloads and videos of their various apps and exploits. Developers were clamoring for that platform to open up and come to life. You can bet your ass that people would’ve traveled to Cupertino globally for an early lab on the iPhone. It would’ve been overloaded. And yet with this platform, there is hardly any interest? Speaks volumes.

How many developers were "a thriving community figuring out how to hack and add apps to the iPhone" upwards of 6+ months BEFORE it launched? BEFORE even 1 person owned one? Before anyone knew much more than a few rumors about it?

I like historical comparisons but key to making them effective is recalling them correctly. iPhone had LESS developer uptake than Vpro at this point of time BEFORE it launched. And apparently, since this thing can run upwards of all iPad apps right out of the gate, it has a stunning amount of apps ready at launch compared to iPhone which had only a small number of Apple-made apps. That's hundreds of thousands of apps vs. maybe 15?

And while we're remembering history, how long was it before Apple endorsed ANY dedicated third party app development on iPhone? With this thing, they are whole-heartedly endorsing, welcoming, SDK ready, and these expert-help sessions and demo units are available to assist dedicated third party app development. How many demo iPhones were in developer hands 6+ months before launch? SDK? Expert workshops for iPhone developers around the country 6+ months before launch?

I'm reserving complete judgement but certainly lean positive on Vpro. In these and other ways, it is FAR ahead of where iPhone was at this point in time before anyone could buy one. I fully respect that some of us can hate a product we haven't even got to try yet. But no need twisting the historical record to support our individual lack of interest.

 

[SSDGUY]

My first Mac in 2001 was the Titanium PowerBook G4, which cost $3,499 + $99 for an airport card.

Mine was a Quadra 700 in 1992. If I remember correctly it was right around $4700 and came with whopping 4mb of ram, which I later upgraded to 20mb for $500. This was so I could rotate an image in photoshop.

 

[Realityck]

I didn’t predict failure for any of those products. I‘m predicting failure here for pretty obvious reasons. It’s a bulky headset that you have to wear on your face (and you look like a dork when wearing), Apple so far has not provided any compelling use cases and most importantly it costs $3500.

My first thought about this is the requirement to use a headset absolutely necessary? In the past I remember active 3D glasses were necessary to watch 3D content, later they had the displays altered to show 3D using passive 3D glasses. Before we had the Vision Pro there were thoughts that they could do the the same with IOS/IPadOS devices with AR enhancement. It's a comparison of billions of devices suddenly having 3D AR augmentation of web content or some other propriety internet based content that allows for the same. As Smooley pointed out just a few minutes ago all the 3D web content demonstrated in the AR topic on Apple dev site was orientated toward that, not this.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Why don't we come back in five-7 years and tally up the rights and wrongs of the opinions offered in this thread.

Can do the same with phablet-sized iPhones now: incredible hate for the "abominations" that would fragment developer work and one-handed use... and require pants with bigger pockets and man purses.

Or look back at the original iPod thread: full of contempt at the insane price for something that is not Apple's bread & butter business.

This is "normal" for Apple fans:

• disgust/hate/99% don't want/etc BEFORE it is available...
• "it's kind of growing on me" and "I'll need to see one in stores" as the launch date gets close...
• "shut up and take my money" and "how did we ever get by without..." at some point afterwards.

Today, the same crowd that thoroughly hated phablet-sized phones now ridicules small-screen phones they used to defend with great passion as "perfect."

I fully get that this one is expensive for a brand new product. But then again, my first "brand new product" was a PowerMac G4 in about 200X. I paid $2999 for that in 200X dollars... drawn in by that ridiculously priced, "nobody will buy", "nobody will want" iPod which was about $600 in 200X dollars. Some things never change... but you'd expect it from a "think different" crowd.

 

[Spooner83]

because it's too expensive! There's about to be a recession, ain't nobody can afford this prototype headset.

 

[ethanwa79]

As a developer myself, I have zero interest in developing for Vision, simply because there won’t be enough users to make my development efforts worth the money.

Devs need to MAKE MONEY. And if the Vision sales numbers are low, that equals low app sales.

 

[120FPS]

If Apple want this in the hands of professionals they need to get serious about CAD and 3D. I do not think the general customer (except people with deep pockets who want to try something first) will see a need for this device now and in its current form. It has the potential to appeal to more but not as the bulky expensive device it is now.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

For anyone serious about developing for this technology, price is not a hurdle. Heck, in 1984 the first Macintosh was $2,495.

Why would a an engineer spend their time developing for this rather that web/mobile/gaming where there are already an established market.

Devs will go where the people are. People developed Apps for the app store because the iPhone was moving millions of units.

 

[everlast3434]

Imagine strolling into your kids bday party with this thing on? Who the heck is that guy? LOL

 

[SSDGUY]

The price is a hurdle for the developers’ target audience.

And who's that? I don't imagine $3500 for a first gen VisionPro is a bit of niche product now, but that will change, and prices will fall.

Why would a an engineer spend their time developing for this rather that web/mobile/gaming where there are already an established market.

Devs will go where the people are. People developed Apps for the app store because the iPhone was moving millions of units.

I have a good friend who does UI experience development for a high end travel company. They're already planning to develop for VisionPro to let customers demo their travel destinations. Sure it's all new and the percentage of users will be small at first, but physical size and cost will shrink and the user base will grow with time.

 

[nt5672]

I know for a fact that statement is incorrect.

Ok, then where are they used?

 

[sparkinstx]

I don't see a reason for VR/AR headsets besides Games and Porn.

Are developers with PR0nHub signed up? :-|