On February 2nd, Apple released its new product, the Apple Vision Pro, selling around 200,000 units for 3,500 dollars. This headset contributes to the technological advancement in Virtual Reality (VR).
However, since the product came out, there have been mixed reviews because of the price, how heavy the device is, how it may make you feel isolated from the world, and how there may be a glare that narrows your vision when wearing it. The price is a contributor because it’s not that affordable to a large margin of people. There is also a 45 percent return rate because of the bad experiences and further motivated by price of the device.
When asked if the device warrants the price and if they would use the new VR headset, Camille Tauro, a junior at CdM, stated, ” No, not whatsoever because if it’s heavy and has effects in it, it logically doesn’t make sense why it would be worth so much more for the same product but worse. Yeah, consoles and video game related [are] made with the intent of sharing with people using for the whole family because it’s expensive, you can only buy one. But here you’re spending a lot of money just to be able to use it on one person, it’s just wasteful.” Another junior at CdM, Kelsea Popma, commented, “No, I don’t think it’s worth the price because we already have a VR headset by [Oracle].” Popma then continued, ” I feel like that’s gonna lean more towards an all-technological environment. I would rather see [things] that’s happening in front of me than some type of VR experience.”
Then when asked how they feel about the new advancements in Virtual Reality and technology in general. Popma voiced, ” I feel it could be good right now but in the future, I think it could lead more towards more problems of just being more immersed in technology besides from real life.” Popma continued, “I think it would contribute more if it was more in a [more affordable] price range. People would use that instead of going on their phones, and that completely shuts you off from real life.” Tauro commented, “VR in general [because] it allies the user to interact with 3D but virtually, and that’s pretty cool. [VR] is continuously getting better.” The mixed opinions on VR not only reflect the mixed review of Apple’s latest product, users will have to decide if it’s right for them.