Home » Business » Review: Apple’s Vision Pro MR Headset Offers Unparalleled Immersion and 3D Depth

Review: Apple’s Vision Pro MR Headset Offers Unparalleled Immersion and 3D Depth

Engadget

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, that’s beautiful.” Those were the first words the main site editor heard from a WWDC attendee while waiting to experience Vision Pro. This kind of excitement is exactly what Apple wants to see in everyone, but in reality, not everyone can afford such a product that costs as much as US$3,999. However, if Apple can successfully get mainstream consumers interested in the concept of spatial computing, it will undoubtedly cause a greater sensation when they launch more affordable follow-up models in the future.

After wearing the Vision Pro for about half an hour, the main site editor’s reaction was milder than the one mentioned at the beginning. Colleagues think this is undoubtedly the best MR product he has ever experienced. It provides an unparalleled sense of immersion, the display is clear enough to allow you to read the text on the web, and there is a very intuitive gesture interaction solution. However… the Vision Pro is still an AR/VR headset at the end of the day, so it’s inevitable that it will encounter some of the unavoidable problems of the category.

Before you can actually use Vision Pro, you need to make some settings on your iPhone. First, the wearer needs to rotate the head to complete the face mapping, and then the mobile phone has to fully see the ears to complete the personalized configuration of spatial audio. Because the main station editor wears glasses, Apple also provided him with additional myopia inserts (glasses cannot be worn with Vision Pro at the same time). You’ll need to pull the elastic headband back a little while putting the device on. The overall comfort of the headband is better than Meta’s existing products, but once the rotation is tightened, the front of the helmet will still cause some pressure around the eyes and nose.

Unlike the design of many similar devices on the market, the Vision Pro in all promotional materials so far has no front and rear straps on the top. But in fact, Apple prepared such a Velcro tape for the prototype on site, and the official also confirmed that if necessary, the modular design of Vision Pro can add such accessories at any time. However, regardless of whether it is attached to the top of the head or not, the editors of the main site feel that you cannot really ignore the presence of this device on the head.

But it must be admitted that once the Vision Pro is running, the slight discomfort of wearing it will be quickly forgotten. When the screen was turned on, the colleagues at the main site saw the meeting room where they had just entered, and at the same time faced multiple app icons floating in front of them. Thanks to the unit’s high-resolution camera, you’re fully able to see your surroundings and people. Although it is not yet possible to call this a perfect reproduction of the real world, colleagues at the main site believe that it is already better than any VR and AR products they have seen.

Next, the system will lead the wearer to complete a series of eye tracking training. All you have to do is use your eyes to track the moving dots on the screen. After going through this step, it is as if you have gained superpowers. After glancing at an app icon or a menu or button, the object becomes highlighted immediately, and the response is very fast. With the two very intuitive key gestures of finger pinching and pinching and sliding, most operations can be easily completed. And unlike the Meta Quest, the Vision Pro, loaded with cameras in all directions, can capture your hand movements almost anywhere. You can operate it with your hands on your lap, without waving your arms like a conductor.

After learning to gesture, you will feel as if you have entered the world of “Critical Report/Future Report”, so the analogy is probably a bit old-fashioned. The wearer only needs to glance at it, pinch it, and the app will be opened, and the webpage can be quickly scrolled by lightly pinching and moving. This feeling is very pleasant. The editor of the main site believes that after working with iOS and iPadOS for many years, most of them will not encounter any difficulties when learning how to use Vision Pro.

Next is to experience the most amazing hardware part of this product, its dual 4K micro OLED display panels. Its look and feel is clearer than all the screens my colleagues at the main station have seen, whether it is a headset or a TV. Photos look unbelievably clear, especially panoramas, which fill the field of view and are stunning. The 3D video shot through the Vision Pro’s front camera is also quite realistic, and it seems to be playing back the good memories in my heart.

Apple Vision Pro

Apple

The main station editor was most impressed with the scene where Vision Pro rendered “Avatar: Way of Water” in 3D. The film has a clear look and feel, and it also has all the 3D depth you can see in the theater. In fact, its 3D effect is sometimes better than the theater, because you don’t have to go to 3D glasses to turn down the brightness of the movie. However, Apple did not give a clear answer to whether the Vision Pro can play “Water Way” at a high frame rate of 48fps. But even if it can only play 24fps, the editor of the main station said that he would prefer to watch the film with Vision Pro instead of 2D 4K TV.

In addition, like common VR helmets, Vision Pro also provides a virtual theater mode. The small speakers on the side also do a good job of recreating the sense of space in the movie, but if you want a private viewing experience, it’s best to pair it with Apple’s headphones. Of course, these are just one side of Vision Pro, and Apple’s complete definition of it is a next-generation computing platform. Therefore, on the main interface of the device, you can start apps such as Safari, photos, and messages, and the windows can be dragged to any position in front of you. When you open a new window, the app also repositions to make room, as you’d expect.

Apple Vision Pro

Engadget

The visionOS that the Vision Pro runs on feels like a cross between iOS and macOS, which should feel very familiar to Apple users. Click on the “Digital Crown” at the top right of the device, and you will be able to return to the main interface. When you rotate it, the immersion of the picture in front of you will also change, not only the size, but the 3D environment can even fill the field of vision, giving you a full VR experience. The seamless transition during operation is impressive, and the editor of the main site feels that it is better than similar functions he has seen on Magic Leap 2.

Apple’s new Apple Immersive Video format for Vision Pro is also very powerful. It can be used to shoot clear 180-degree 3D videos, and the 8K camera on the device can achieve extremely realistic effects. If this scheme is used in the broadcast of sports events, I believe many people will be willing to pay for it. While the film doesn’t quite wrap you in 360-degree footage, it’s still immersive enough.

Apple Vision Pro

Apple

But having said that, to shoot something like this yourself, you first have to wear the Vision Pro. Take the 3D demonstration video of a child blowing out candles released by Apple as an example. If in real life, do you think children will be able to behave so naturally in front of the camera when facing parents wearing Vision Pro on their heads? What’s more, during the shooting process, the photographer himself becomes unable to really participate in the complete experience. Maybe Apple will launch a bracket for Vision Pro in the future or develop a separate 3D camera to solve this problem.

Also, when using Vision Pro for FaceTime chat, the 3D camera scan of the user’s avatar can look a little weird. It looks like a human being, but it is very stiff, giving people a feeling of “uncanny valley”. If Vision Pro can only show this effect in the end, then video chat may be more suitable on other types of devices.

Apple Vision Pro

Apple

At the end of the hands-on play, the editor of the main station saw a dinosaur coming out of the “portal” on the wall of the room. An Apple representative suggested that he stand up and move closer, after which a colleague walked over and offered his hand. At this time, the dinosaur that had partially “entered” the meeting room actually lowered its head and sniffed it. The interactivity was very high. It’s just that whether it’s this kind of wonderful interaction or the excellent viewing effect, it’s a more personal experience after all. The price of the Vision Pro is as high as US$3,499, and it can be predicted that families who are willing (as suggested by Apple representatives) to buy multiple units for simultaneous use are bound to be few.

Apple’s EyeSight feature isn’t the best solution when it comes to dealing with the line between immersion and isolation. The eyes displayed on the outer screen and the objects displayed on the inner screen are always just the images captured by the camera. Although these designs can be called thoughtful, whether they can really break the “barrier” caused by the head-mounted hardware can only be judged after the product is actually released.

Apple Vision Pro

Engadget

Regardless, Apple has managed to make one of the most memorable pitches yet for the concept of spatial computing (not just games or a hard-sell Metaverse). They want you to take what you do on your computer and do it in mixed reality, and that trend could lead to more affordable, mass-consumer headsets. Although the future of MR, AR, and VR is still not completely clear, it is clear that from Apple’s point of view, spatial computing is definitely worth a try.

2023-06-06 11:06:49
#Apple #Vision #Pro #main #station #handson #play #milestone #problems #avoided

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.