WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

[nfl46]

I have no regrets about buying mine! I was aware that it was essentially a vanilla OS with limited apps and content when I made the purchase. However, I was prepared for this and my expectations were met since I intended to use it for the long term. Bring on VisionOS 3.0 and new content!

 

[rosuna]

Not sure what this disrupts exactly.

Your neck.

 

[Bustycat]

Those who don't feel total regret don't care about wasting money at all.

 

[subjonas]

At the high price, I’d only buy it if it significantly helped me with my job (which it can’t at the moment because of a specific software issue I have). More unique content wouldn’t matter to me so much because it would just be bonus. And social acceptance is pretty low importance to me if it serves a useful purpose. I would need better comfort though, but that can probably be helped with a third party head strap.

If it was a device just for personal productivity and leisure, I’d only buy it at up to around 2k USD. I might care more about more unique content then, but it still wouldn’t be crucial since that is the price I would pay for it as is. But I’d still need better comfort.

So I’m hoping for 1 or more of 3 things:
- Apple fixes my issue with the VP software so that I can use it for my job
- Apple can somehow bring down the price to 2k USD without taking away from the UX too much
- Apple can improve comfort by either somehow reducing weight, again without taking away from the UX, and/or better fitment

 

[rosuna]

I think Apple was very upfront that this was essentially ‘so cool we had to share it, even though it’s not for everyone, or priced for the mass market’.

The problem is not the price.

What can you do with this device? You cannot work like you do with a laptop (more confortable and with more precision for writing, drawing, etc.) and you cannot consume movies, music, etc. because it is not confortable. So...

 

[crsh1976]

I forgot this thing still existed, tho it's a little sad it seemed to have been forgotten about even by Apple

 

[Fara82Light]

The two people I know that bought it sold it after several months; one of them a coder at the spaceship.



The concept is garbage, and therefore the device is too, by extension

Is it the concept or the implementation?

 

[nfl46]

Those who don't feel total regret don't care about wasting money at all.

Money is a fleeting commodity, and it’s up to each individual to decide how to spend it. While some people may waste money on unnecessary purchases, others find value in spending it on things that bring them joy and fulfillment.

For example, if you have the option of buying a $100,000 car or a $10,000 car, it’s probably not worth spending the extra $90,000 unless you have a specific need for the more expensive vehicle. Ultimately, the decision of how to spend money is personal, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it.

 

[Bueller007]

Apple Newton for your face.

 

[turbineseaplane]

"CEO Tim Cook pictured for the first time wearing the Apple Vision Pro, in his Cupertino, California office."

Also the last time

 

[rosuna]

Is it the concept or the implementation?

It is the concept. That is the problem and that is the reason this device cannot be "fixed" in any way...

 

[D-a-a-n]

I still don't get why they couldn't have just moved all the compute to the battery thing you have to carry anyway.

 

[mansplains]

The return policy exists for a reason. I can’t imagine shelling almost $4k after tax, using a handful of times to discomfort, and keeping.

 

[ryanmcv]

I don’t regret buying it. It is by far the best way to watch 3D movies, and that is the main reason I purchased it. I have an extensive collection of 3D Blu-rays and two 3D TVs. Since 3D TVs are no longer being manufactured, I would have no way to watch my 3D discs if/when my TVs die. With the Vision Pro, I’ve been watching rips of my 3D discs through the 4XVR app, which is an incredible experience. Watching 3D movies in 4K with Dolby Vision through the Apple TV store is even better. The Apple TV store also has tons of 3D movies that aren’t available on 3D Blu-ray or anywhere else. For solo movie watching, it’s like being in your own private, perfectly-calibrated 3D movie theater.

I can see why others regret buying it if they were hoping to use it as some sort of major productivity boost. The app ecosystem is very limited and the virtual keyboard is a pain to use. The potential is there, but developers have not hopped on board at the pace Apple was hoping for.

The device is heavy, but it hasn’t been an issue for me since adding the Belkin head strap. Still, Apple needs to remove the front-facing external display and find other ways to slim down the Vision Pro. The complaints about long setup and startup times are also valid. Connecting the battery pack is awkward and it takes the device almost a minute to boot up after finally getting it connected.

I don’t get the concerns about being laughed at while wearing the Vision Pro. If you’re that self-conscious, just wear it in the privacy of your own home.

 

[Danlez96]

The cope from some people in the comments is way too funny 🤣
It’s ok if you enjoy it, but for a lot of people the regret is real, and for the vast majority of people this thing looked useless and as a massive waste of money from the second it was launched.

 

[digimc]

Apple is working on a solution to this issue. Introducing the Apple Neck Brace

View attachment 2511285

Does the neck brace come in different colors and can I get it signed by Tim Cook?

 

[MacMediaNet]

I can wear it comfortably for hours… I love it for productivity. The problem is you have to know how to wear it - when I put it on, if it feels too front-heavy then I know I have to slide the back strap down slightly and then it’s comfy.

I feel like people are just putting it on improperly and putting up with discomfort that doesn’t need to exist. It’s an easy device to put on wrong… I’m sure lots of people are overtightening it which feels fine at first but over time will lead to discomfort. Also lots of people are overcomplicating it with third party strap modifications and it’s just so unnecessary. I just use the solo band, which is the best band.

I’ve worn it nearly every day and I think it’s a great device. Software support is a huge letdown but for productivity and videos it’s unrivaled.

Anyone who replies to this sarcastically with “you’re wearing it wrong” etc is just proving my point by expressing their skepticism. These are the people who think they can just put it on casually and expect comfort without putting any effort into learning how it should sit such that the weight isn’t being supported by the wrong parts of your head. It’s just physics.

I’d also like to say AVP is way more comfortable than PSVR2. The ventilation with AVP is just so well thought out. I look forward to future models and while I will skip any minor spec bump for now, I’m sure the first redesign will be exciting.

Just like iPhone 4 Antennagate - "You are holding it wrong."

 

[nfl46]

I forgot this thing still existed, tho it's a little sad it seemed to have been forgotten about even by Apple

Huh? They are still releasing content for it. In fact, they have even released its first feature-length immersive film, designed specifically for the AVP, which is set to hit theaters on May 30th. So, yes, they are still investing in it. Additionally, the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive cameras, which were on pre-order since December, will soon be available for shipping. This means that anyone interested in creating AVP content will have the opportunity to do so. It appears that Apple has been laying the groundwork for widespread adoption of this technology in a couple of years.

 

[iMac The Knife]

Anyone who replies to this sarcastically with “you’re wearing it wrong” etc is just proving my point by expressing their skepticism. These are the people who think they can just put it on casually and expect comfort without putting any effort into learning how it should sit such that the weight isn’t being supported by the wrong parts of your head. It’s just physics.

For $3500, I would expect to be able to put on any device that is worn on my face/head and have it be comfortable almost immediately. It's Apple's fault that they launched the AVP too soon and therefore the weight is a problem for many. When I paid $1500 in 2013 for Google Glass, I took it out of the box, put it on, and it was comfortable straight away. I could wear it for 24 hours straight if I wanted to and it never felt remotely uncomfortable. While Google Glass and AVP clearly aren't the same form factor, the form factor of Google Glass is where AVP and the others should be and I'm sure are heading. Once they can put the power of the AVP in a Google Glass style form factor, it's a wrap. To this day, Google Glass is still the most impressive tech device I have ever owned, and I've owned a ton over the years. Having an extremely comfortable HUD on was far superior to having to pull my phone out of my pocket or pick it up off my desk to look at it throughout the day. I still don't know how they got the angle of the prism display to the point where it pretty much disappeared from view unless you looked up slightly to view it. That always really impressed me.

 

[Danlez96]

The travesty is Tim Cook dedicating resources to his signature boondoggle while Apple software, Siri, and AI have been left painfully behind.

Nah. The good thing is that they almost completely forgot about it too,they seem to have no intention of releasing that thing on any new markets (there’s a lot of countries where AVP is not even sold there’s no point if they will sell 2 if they’re lucky ) they will release a refresh with a new chip to suck the remaining money from the early adopters and be done with it.

Maybe it will come back in 8 or 9 years if and when the technology and apps get better and hardware becomes cheaper

 

[turbineseaplane]

I don’t regret buying it. It is by far the best way to watch 3D movies, and that is the main reason I purchased it. I have an extensive collection of 3D Blu-rays and two 3D TVs. Since 3D TVs are no longer being manufactured, I would have no way to watch my 3D discs if/when my TVs die. With the Vision Pro, I’ve been watching rips of my 3D discs through the 4XVR app, which is an incredible experience. Watching 3D movies in 4K with Dolby Vision through the Apple TV store is even better. The Apple TV store also has tons of 3D movies that aren’t available on 3D Blu-ray or anywhere else. For solo movie watching, it’s like being in your own private, perfectly-calibrated 3D movie theater.

I maintain that they should make a more focused on entertainment version that is lighter and less expensive and just more dialed in as a content consumption and macOS screen extension device.

 

[turbineseaplane]

It's Apple's fault that they launched the AVP too soon and therefore the weight is a problem for many.

It's squarely a Tim Cook issue also. He pushed the launch out the door.
This truly is one of those situations where Jobs would have said "no way" until it was a much better product.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

I still don't get why they couldn't have just moved all the compute to the battery thing you have to carry anyway.

Latency, probably. Electricity is fast but the travel time between chips still adds up. This is why Apple puts RAM directly adjacent to their chips.

 

[Fara82Light]

It is quite a technical achievement and a well-made product, but it seems more like a preview product of the technical possibilities to come rather than a consumer must-have like the iPhone.

The weight, the bulk, and the oddity of the item were bound to undermine wider takeup. However, if it has attracted and stimulated developer interest in future products of this category, then it will have been a worthwhile effort. I hope Apple is aiming to get to a product range more comparable to a pair of spectacles, if that is possible, to encourage take-up.

 

[digimc]

To me the AVP was Apple really just flexing when they introduced the device. It was basically the result of the worlds largest tech company saying here is a really expensive luxury device because we can.

The thing that companies don't understand when they release really expensive new devices/tech is that you fail to get enough people curious about the tech and the device. That means that eventually when the device or market reaches an appropriate level of maturity, less people are going to care.

I suspect that eventually Apple will make the device better. Lighter, more mobile, easier to wear, integrate better within their existing Apple ecosystem. But by that point the potential market may have completely moved on. Sometimes it's better to introduce a slightly lower quality, far more affordable new type of tech to give more people a taste of what the potential could be, then just release a super expensive device that might be more polished, but ultimately limited in what it can do.