All images in this article are taken directly from the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
Introduction#
Apple Vision Pro,
as the One More Thing at WWDC23, attracted widespread attention upon its release.
In June of this year, with the launch of the domestic version, the reservation experience officially opened in China.
I have a strong interest in this device, and since I recently had some free time, I went to my local Apple Store to personally experience "Apple's first spatial computing device."
Reservation#
This matter is also recorded in the Apple Store; you just need to enter the official website or the Apple Store APP's VisionPro page, go to "Reserve a demonstration," and log in with your Apple ID to make a reservation at a retail store in your city. Perhaps because the hype has passed, it is now very easy to book the desired time slot, even for same-day reservations. However, it is still recommended to make a reservation a day in advance to have a more relaxed selection of time slots.
During the reservation process, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your vision. Since I am not nearsighted, I passed through this step easily. If you are nearsighted, you may need to provide data such as your degree of nearsightedness.
Reservations are not limited to iPhone users. After the reservation is completed, a reminder email will be sent to the registered Apple ID email, which includes a QR code for check-in at the store and a reservation management page. iPhone users can add it to their wallet, and as the reservation time approaches, the phone will send a reminder. When checking in, you only need to enter the Apple Wallet page to show the QR code.
Experience#
// The following experiences are from my personal perspective and may vary under different circumstances.
Due to my obsession with time, I arrived at the store a little early. As soon as I entered, a staff member came to talk to me. After explaining my purpose, the staff member took me to the waiting area.
Since there were not many people during my reserved time slot, I quickly found an available spot to experience the device.
// The waiting area is currently holding Today at Apple.
// The machine used to customize prescription lenses next to the experience area, along with two VisionPros.
A staff member responsible for the experience process took me to the experience area, carrying a store-specific iPhone and iPad Mini.
The iPad Mini seems to be specifically designed for the Apple Vision Pro experience process, containing a dedicated app that can activate the experience machine and stream the user's perspective.
I sat down at the table, provided the check-in code, and the experience officially began.
Relax, the staff member will guide the experience process in a casual and friendly atmosphere.
// Overview of the experience area.
// Some accessories of the VisionPro placed on the table in the experience area.
Since I am an iPhone user, the staff member directly asked me to scan the QR code generated by the device to enter the Apple Store App for a facial scan to determine the size (so remember to download the Apple Store app in advance).
After determining the size, the staff member used the store app to retrieve the device. During the waiting process, the staff member explained the basic operating gestures of VisionOS to help users get started quickly.
Before long, another staff member brought the device on a wooden tray, and the VisionPro lay quietly inside, covered with a white textile protective cover, seamlessly integrated.
The wooden tray seems to be custom-made, fitting the shape of the AVP at the bottom.
When the device was placed in front of me, I couldn't help but marvel at the maturity of Apple's industrial design, with the use of tempered glass, brushed aluminum, and fabric materials being just right.
// The digital crown on top, from Watch to AirPods Max to Vision Pro.
I don't know if Apple has modified the experience process, but all the experience devices in the store default to using a dual-ring headband.
The previous experience process seemed to use a single-ring headband, which could be changed to a dual-ring headband upon request.
Perhaps Apple itself feels that the single-ring headband is not suitable for the experience.
During the conversation, the staff member asked what aspects of the VisionPro I was most interested in experiencing. After receiving my answer, they focused on introducing the aspects I wanted to see.
I mentioned that I was interested in MR-related demonstrations, but the staff member informed me that the experience process currently does not have a strongly related flow.
Moreover, due to the nature of the demonstration machine, they could only show me applications related to that type in the VisionPro App Store on the iPad.
Next, the staff member explained how to wear the VisionPro correctly: grasp the top with four fingers, use the thumb to hold the groove at the bottom of the machine, lift it up, and after placing it in front of the eyes, first tighten the strap at the back of the head, then tighten the strap on top.
This dual-ring wearing system is quite simple and easy to use; just tear, tighten, and stick it to secure it comfortably, although the durability of the Velcro fastening is uncertain.
I won't comment on the single-ring headband since I didn't experience it.
// Wearing image, blurred for personal privacy.
As soon as I put it on, the first thing I felt was the weight of the machine. Apple's wearable products always prioritize aesthetics, which was also the case with the AirPods Max.
Fortunately, the demonstration used a dual-ring headband; I can't even imagine how disastrous the single-ring headband would be.
The second thing I noticed was the light leakage at the bottom; the official mask does not fit my face perfectly, and it seems that this can only be solved by changing to a third-party mask?
The device powered on, the logo appeared, and I entered the eye calibration process, noting the light points around and pinching my fingers to confirm.
As the process progressed, the small light points around began to appear three-dimensional, showcasing the product's features to first-time users.
Once I officially entered the system and activated the mixed reality mode, I was extremely impressed.
Although there was still a bit of a periscope effect, the clarity surpassed other similar devices, and I could feel the ultimate effect achieved through high-quality materials.
Pressing the crown opened the main interface of VisionOS, and the frosted glass effect, the three-dimensional effect of various icons, and the shadows cast by windows under light left me in awe.
I can only say that Apple's pursuit of aesthetics at the system level is commendable.
Next, I followed the process and, while chatting with the staff member, experienced basic operations, virtual environments, spatial videos, etc. If you're interested, you can look up other people's experiences online.
Here, I will briefly share my personal feelings during the experience:
In terms of operation, eye tracking is particularly precise, but with too many elements, it is easy to have misoperations and mis-selections.
Hand tracking and keying benefit from the M1's computing power, making it very responsive. During my experience, I didn't lose any operation recognition, and this gesture system is quite intuitive and aligns with instinct.
In addition to gestures, you can also directly touch windows with your fingers, but I didn't find this method very pleasant because there is no actual feedback, and the uncertainty of space made me feel a strange discomfort when using this method.
In terms of experience, the demo of spatial video left the deepest impression on me. Thanks to Apple's efforts in spatial audio and display technology, spatial video brought an extreme sense of three-dimensionality and immersion.
The process of using Migu Video to play a video made me truly feel a futuristic way of video presentation, as if I were there, with a palpable "sense of space" in what I saw and heard.
I wasn't particularly interested in other parts of the process.
The virtual environment isn't important to me; I prefer to look at my own room rather than an empty mountain forest or a waterfall.
The perspective experience was also significantly diminished due to a certain periscope effect.
Multitasking? I don't think I would wear this thing to handle work among a bunch of windows surrounding me.
In terms of wearing, this device has an exceptionally noticeable presence on my head. It looks good, but could they consider the wearer's comfort a bit more?
Even with the dual-ring headband, having an extra support point on top still makes it somewhat uncomfortable.
Oh well, perhaps users who buy this device and persist in using it will adapt.
Epilogue#
// The VisionPro displayed in the showcase, showing the single-ring and dual-ring headbands.
The experience process lasted for more than half an hour and quickly passed. After taking off the device and thanking the staff, I strolled around the store, browsing the other Apple devices on display.
Unfortunately, these traditional devices no longer pique my interest.
// My iPhone 13 Mini and the iPhone 13 displayed on the counter.
// Apple Watch Forest.
After reaching the Vision Pro display area, I took some more photos, both to document and for this article.
(To be honest, Apple's store lighting design is quite good; during the shooting process, there was no flicker or white balance drift.)
At this moment, a staff member came over and said, "I see you've taken quite a few photos here; are you interested in purchasing one?"
I smiled and politely declined.
// Follow-up email from Apple.
The experience that the Apple Vision Pro brought me was indeed stunning, but is this experience really worth 29,999￥?
If this were a device under 10,000, there’s a good chance I would have paid for it on the spot.
But unfortunately, due to Apple's excessive material stacking on this device and its traditional confidence pricing, the price of this device is unlikely to decrease.
Thus, Apple's envisioned "spatial computing" is still far from "entering the homes of ordinary people." I hope to see more affordable products in the future.
The group coming to experience the VisionPro is not limited to young people. I noticed that there were also many middle-aged individuals in the experience area.
Some came to experience it themselves, while others were brought by younger family members.
The emergence of this device has brought people expectations and aspirations for the evolution of technology devices. What will the next generation of computing devices be like?
No matter how much I say, words cannot convey my feelings. If you happen to be interested in this device, I highly recommend making a reservation for an in-person experience.
(P.S.: With the launch of VisionOS 2.0, the experience process seems to be updated as well, so you might consider waiting for the official update before making a reservation.)