My recent ode to the Apple Vision Pro might need a bittersweet update — some users are already returning their headsets due to, well, getting sick of them. Yep, The Verge reports a wave of disgruntled early adopters sending their $3,500 marvels back, just as the 14-day return window draws to a close for the earliest buyers.
While the headset has drawn considerable praise, it's no secret that there are plenty of less-than-enthusiastic opinions as well. Users blame various ailments on the spatial computing headset, turning their initial love affair into a tech break-up.
Let's dig a little deeper into this emerging trend and see if the Vision Pro's honeymoon phase is officially over. Is it just a case of early adopter woes, or are there fundamental flaws lurking beneath that sleek design?
The Complaints
Parker Ortolani, The Verge's product manager, even suspects the headset caused a burst blood vessel in his eye — ouch! He describes the experience as "magical," but ultimately unusable due to the discomfort and resulting headaches and eye strain. "Too expensive and unwieldy," he declares, promising to be back for a (hopefully improved) next version.
Can’t wait to return the Vision Pro, probably the most mind blowing piece of tech I’ve ever tried.Can’t deal with these headaches after 10 minutes of use though.February 14, 2024
Similar sentiments echo across social media. Canadian techie Rjey tweets, "Can’t wait to return the Vision Pro, probably the most mind-blowing piece of tech I’ve ever tried. Can’t deal with these headaches after 10 minutes of use though."
This isn't entirely unexpected, especially considering it's a first-generation product for Apple, no matter how polished the design may look. Every human body is different, and one-size-fits-all rarely applies to wearables. Comfort often gets sacrificed, just like smartwatches that don't fit wrists properly or smart rings that pinch swollen fingers. For headsets, a low nose bridge can mean slippage or light leakage.
So, is this the end for the Vision Pro? Hardly, there is no concrete data on how many are being returned, or how many have been purchased despite the helpful guesses by analysts on the latter. This is just a reminder that early adopters take some risks living on the bleeding edge of tech. Hopefully, Apple will listen to these comfort concerns and refine the design for future iterations. After all, even the sleekest tech is useless if it gives you a headache after 10 minutes.
Where is the productivity?
But hardware woes aren't the only concern. Many feel the productivity features don't justify the hefty price tag. Looking at design software caused dizziness for one user, while another engineer found the coding experience clunky and headache-inducing.
Even for those impressed by the tech, frustrations exist. Fiddling with virtual windows and unsupported file types makes it a productivity no-go for some. Carter Gibson, a senior Google manager, worries that creating a presentation in VR would be less efficient than the traditional mouse-and-keyboard method, even if it feels like living in Minority Report.
A Reddit user stated "If I’m not using this for productivity, and if I don’t love it for entertainment, and if there aren’t enough games to play on it - I just can’t justify keeping it,”
Co-founder of Bunny Studio and CEO of Torre Alexander Torrenegra packed it back up after just two hours and Tweeted "There's nothing in it for me."
Two hours after unboxing my Apple Vision Pro and using it, I decided to box it back up again and return it. It's quite cool, but there's nothing in it for me that I'll use frequently enough to warrant my keeping it.February 13, 2024
Did you just waste $3,500?
This is not the end for the Apple Vision Pro. Many unsatisfied users expressed excitement for a potential second-gen device, suggesting the tech itself isn't the issue, but rather the lack of a killer app or improved comfort.
It's too early to say how widespread these concerns are, as social media voices don't necessarily reflect overall return rates or Apple's internal expectations. However, one thing's clear: the initial warm glow of positivity surrounding the Vision Pro has been hit with a cold splash of reality from some early adopters. Whether Apple can address these concerns and reignite the excitement remains to be seen.
