The Future Replacement for Smartphones”
The Apple Vision Pro headset, starting at a price of 3,500 USD. This innovative device has the potential to replace smartphones in the future. But how does it function, and what are its strengths and weaknesses? Most importantly, what is Apple’s motivation behind this creation?
The Apple Vision Pro headset is essentially a pair of goggles worn over the eyes. While it may not have the same cool factor as auto-tinting sunglasses, its primary goal is to provide a seamless user experience. Despite housing more advanced technology than any other consumer product available, Apple has ensured that wearing this headset feels effortless.
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How Does It Work?
The focal point of the device is its dual screens, one for each eye. In the real world, our eyes perceive depth by viewing objects from slightly different angles. The Apple Vision Pro replicates this effect in the digital realm, allowing users to experience a sense of depth and interact with virtual objects as if they were tangible.
This implementation of depth perception is not entirely new, but Apple’s execution appears to be one of the most convincing to date. A key contributing factor is the exceptional quality of the screens. To put it into perspective, the iPhone already boasts a remarkably sharp display, making it difficult to discern individual pixels even at close proximity.
In an astonishing leap, the screens of the Apple Vision Pro have a pixel density 64 times higher than that of the iPhone. Visualizing this level of detail may seem almost impossible, but Apple’s intent is to ensure that even when users place their eyes directly against the screens, they won’t detect individual pixels.
Undoubtedly, the Apple Vision Pro comes with a hefty price tag. However, it’s crucial to clarify that this is not merely a pair of movie glasses akin to those available for the past 15 years, designed for watching TV. Apple envisions this device as the potential successor to the smartphone—an all-encompassing solution for entertainment, communication, self-expression, and app usage in an entirely new dimension.
Imagine not being confined to a 6.5-inch screen like on a current iPhone, but having a display that fills your entire field of vision. With the entire visual spectrum dedicated to app interfaces, the possibilities become limitless.
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To realize this vision, the hardware of the Apple Vision Pro extends beyond screens. If you examine the bottom of the device, you’ll notice an array of sensors. These include 3D cameras and lidar scanners for depth detection, among others. The 3D cameras replicate the function of human eyes by providing a 3D view of your surroundings.
Moreover, with the aid of the depth sensors, apps can be integrated seamlessly into the virtual environment. An intriguing feature is that these apps possess a physical presence, casting shadows on your desk or extending their glow into your surroundings while watching a movie.
Let me clarify that there are valid concerns regarding this technology, and I’ll address them shortly. However, it’s important to acknowledge that developers have long fantasized about such advancements for the past three decades. It surprises me that this technology has emerged so swiftly and with such meticulous planning.
Another notable aspect is Apple’s emphasis on fostering a social experience, rather than isolating oneself in a personal digital realm. To achieve this, the interior of the headset is equipped with an additional set of cameras, reminiscent of the front and rear cameras on smartphones. This implementation carries several implications.
It can capture your eye movements and utilize its knowledge of your facial features to generate a photorealistic digital avatar during FaceTime calls, creating the illusion of your entire face being present. Moreover, it can project a 3D representation of your eye movements to the external screen, which also possesses three-dimensional capabilities. Consequently, the image displayed to others will vary depending on their viewing angle, a somewhat peculiar feature that I’m still adjusting to.
However, it serves the purpose of conveying your engagement when using augmented reality applications that involve observing people in the background. It clarifies that you can see them, alleviating any unease that may arise from not knowing what someone wearing the headset is looking at.
Additionally, when transitioning to a full-screen experience, the external screen will cloud over, effectively signaling your disengagement to those around you. Furthermore, the internal cameras, supported by infrared sensors, function as the primary means of control. This brings me to the aspects I genuinely appreciate about the Vision Pro headset. Remarkably, it tracks your eye movements, recognizes your irises for authentication, and automatically unlocks itself.
Furthermore, it accurately determines where you are looking, essentially using your eyes as a cursor to navigate and interact with virtual elements. Thankfully, they’ve avoided the impracticality of requiring users to blink for every click, which would undoubtedly lead to headaches. Instead, you can simply use your finger, as the cameras possess a wide field of view and can detect the position of your hands.
This implementation struck me as the most natural way to interact with a virtual or augmented reality headset, making it feel like an extension of your body. I’m delighted that there’s no need to raise your hands or hold them in specific gestures, as that would be more of a gimmick.
The ability to rest the device on a table or your lap and still utilize its functionalities is key to achieving a seamless experience, akin to the introduction of touchscreen phones that eliminated the need for styluses. Interacting with your fingers became the norm, and the rest is history.
Additionally, the Vision Pro allows you to use Siri for voice input and can be paired with conventional Apple keyboards and mice. Finally, let’s address the power aspect. Initially, I assumed that an iPhone would be a prerequisite for using an Apple headset, but fortunately, that is not the case.”
And that iPhone is likely to become the primary source of computing power, streaming content to the headset for viewing. The simple approach would have been to treat it as a mere accessory to the phone, but Apple has intentionally drawn a clear distinction, establishing a new product category with a fresh operating system, the first since the launch of the Apple Watch almost a decade ago. Specs and more details about Apple Vision Pro are on the NEXT PAGE…
