Vision Pro Test: Ultimately, Should You Go for Spatial Computing?

After unboxing the helmet, studying various usage situations and checking through the technical sheet, it’s time to wrap up our review of the Vision Pro. A chance to take stock and take stock of what’s going well, what’s not going well, before trying to guess whether Apple is headed in the right direction by focusing on spatial computing.

General summary of the test

Since the Vision Pro is a device that’s quite different from what we’re used to seeing from Apple, we offer you a thorough test of several parts.

well…

Vision Pro is undoubtedly a marvel of technology. The tech sheet is unparalleled, the screens are amazing and the power has never been seen in a single headset. A design combining aluminum and glass screen is successful, giving a premium product with a futuristic look. The “Solo Knit” headband is very cute with its small wheel and its soft-touch fabric. This less abstract rendering might encourage the competition to do better than the resilient beasts we’ve been accustomed to.

The front screen is far from perfect, but breathes some life into the headset. Where Meta Quest really gives the impression of seeing someone hiding behind a mask, on Vision Pro everything becomes immediately clear. Like the notch or pill on iPhones, the EyeSight screen gives the product a certain personality. We can imagine that this aspect will allow it to stand out against upcoming competitors in the coming months.

A lot of things work well for a brand new operating system that is the first of its kind that is not an Android derivative. The synergy with the rest of Apple’s ecosystem is a joy to behold, like when your Mac connects in the blink of an eye or you go back to your iCloud photo library. The App Store isn’t particularly full, but a patch of “optimized for iPad” apps always keeps you going. If you can’t find your favorite app, you’ll at least find an equivalent: it’s nothing… and better than the competition.

The long-term follow-up of developers is not yet certain, but the Apple effect seems to be pushing big names into the game. Microsoft distributed the original version of its Office 365 suite as soon as the system launched, where it only offered repackaged versions of web apps that weren’t really optimized for Quest. App Store shelves are pretty bare, but bigger fish like YouTube have promised to come.

The fact that it’s fairly easy to recompile your iPadOS app for VisionOS undoubtedly explains this interest, with Android apps requiring less budget than starting from scratch. It remains to be seen if this little craze will continue or if the VisionOS App Store will end up like the Apple Watch. As it stands, the store doesn’t encourage discovery and is very poorly laid out. We hope Apple will sort this all out again later.

Although they’ve been derided, Apple’s Personas aren’t such a bad idea. Rendering is pretty perfect right now, but it’s a solid premise that Apple will continue to improve. This 3D avatar addresses the real problem of isolation in headsets, and realistic rendering seems to me to be a better idea than the funny renderings others are promoting. It’s hard to say if this is the right answer to the VR representation aspect, but Apple has put its finger on the real problem with a decent effort to solve it.

…and at least good

Cupertino has done a good job on the hardware part, and one of the main complaints comes from the weight of the headset. The Vision Pro will benefit from being refined and is currently quite heavy: between 600 and 650 grams depending on accessories and not counting the battery. Everything is not perfect in terms of design, and for example, it is not possible to take the headset without putting your hands on the front screen (and leaving large fingerprints there). The magnetic light cover is a good idea, but a bit risky because you sometimes want to grab the helmet to move it…before everything falls apart under the weight of the machine. Given the price, you quickly become afraid of scratching the front screen, which according to YouTuber’s first torture tests is not very durable and tends to crack for no reason.

Despite the slick user interface, the first version of visionOS still smells like fresh paint. Some basic functions aren’t there yet, like being able to rearrange your home screen or select your favorite contacts. Even the basic elements can be improved: the control center is divided into two sections (why?), while we would appreciate the gesture to bring the applications grid without looking for a digital crown. We think aspects will evolve in future versions. Apple has implemented a physical button that allows you to take photos, which is of little use at the moment due to the lack of interest in the camera function. It can easily be replaced by something else, like the actual volume button which is currently hidden.