The Apple Vision Pro headset is now a reality on Apple's product roadmap Unfortunately, these extra eyes mean more people will be critiquing the headset and analyzing what it can and cannot do This includes the comfort of using Vision Pro for a few hours
According to a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Vision Pro testers are struggling with the headset's weight Testers reported that the headset began to feel too heavy after several hours of continuous use, and some experienced mild motion sickness
These are issues that all headsets face, and Gurman noted that the motion sickness experienced by testers was much lighter than that experienced with rival headsets Unfortunately, the weight issue makes selling the Vision Pro difficult Especially from a productivity standpoint, users will undoubtedly be wearing the headset for several hours at a time
The Vision Pro's battery pack lasts about two hours, but the headset can be connected directly to a power source for extended use
In the years and months leading up to the announcement of the Vision Pro, it was suggested that Apple was working to make the headset as lightweight and comfortable as possible This means using lighter materials and either dispersing the heavier elements or separating them altogether, like the battery
There is no evidence that Apple is not doing this, especially since the battery pack is completely separate from the Vision Pro itself However, the nature of a stand-alone headset makes it inevitable, for example, that hardware is needed for the processing power on the device
According to Gurman, Apple has developed a second strap for the Vision Pro that is worn over the wearer's head This strap is visible in places in Apple's introductory video if you look closely
The question is whether Apple will include a second strap with the Vision Pro; given the prohibitively expensive price of $3,500, not including something as simple as a head strap would only make Apple look cheap
Given that eyeglass wearers would need to purchase special power lenses to use the Vision Pro, charging extra for a head strap would make Apple look like a penny pincher Again, for a headset that costs $3,500, you don't want to seem like you are trying to squeeze as much extra money out of the user as possible
It is also in the company's best interest to ensure that users have the best experience possible in order to maximize the Vision Pro's chances of success Given the comfort issues experienced with other VR headsets, Apple cannot afford to be stingy in this department
Hopefully someone will recognize that before the Vision Pro is released in early 2024 In the meantime, you can check out the Apple Vision Pro hands-on to see how the headset feels, and check the Apple Vision Pro hub for the latest news and updates
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