Welcome to the Vision Pro, Apple’s most complex piece of hardware yet. So complicated that we’ll need more than one teardown to tackle it. First up: Those creepy eyes.
It’s an Apple device, what did you expect?
The thing even has an external battery pack, and instead of using USB-C so you could use any power bank you already own, they designed a completely new proprietary connector. In 2024.
Who the fuck does that anymore, except Apple?
I can see the argument for having a connector that can’t be pulled out: if you were crossing a busy street or walking down a stairway with one of these strapped to your head and the cable came out, you’d be instantly blind.
Actually I would argue it is VR first and AR second because in its dormant, non-powered state your view is completely blocked whereas if it were AR first you would just be looking through transparent glass lenses in its dormant, non-powered state.
Apple’s final destination with this product is AR and they are using it as AR but it is a VR headset replicating an AR experience because we do not have the technology yet to make something like this being AR dominant.
I say AR because they do full video passthrough first and have their UIs try to look a part of the real life environment (shadow effects on irl objects, menus are all semitransparent, etc).
You have to choose to do immersion instead, even the dorky eyes are implied to make it useful in IRL settings.
Not everything is good (the eyes are a total miss, the avatars are uncanny).
But the proprietary connector plug itself is almost identical to the lightning connector, the only difference is that the bolster has some notches in it for the BATTERY to lock into. All the locking is in the battery, they could have, should have, used USB C or any other existing connector.
I can’t imagine it wouldn’t. The USB-PD spec can cover a verity of voltage and amperage combinations covering practically any digital electronic device up to 100W.
The only reason it’s not used everywhere, is that it does add complexity to extremely simple and inexpensive devices. This thing is not simple or inexpensive, and it doesn’t draw more than 100W.
The USB-PD spec can cover a verity of voltage and amperage combinations
That’s not really true - it maxes out at 5 Amps which is only a decent amount of power if you use (relatively) high voltages. Vision Pro runs at 13 volts, which isn’t supported by USB and if it was that would only be 65 watts - nowhere near enough to power this product.
Running at higher voltages (USB can do up to 48 volts) would likely have problems, it might be less efficient for example (which would mean they have to give it a larger battery).
Not to mention the praise for “innovation”. I swear to God most of the “innovation” I see is more proprietary or useless shit to screw over the customer. I suppose regarding company priorities that’s excellent innovation.
Actually, if it breaks you get Apple to fix it. I think anyone who is spending $$3500+ on a portable device knows to be careful with it and doesn’t want it to break.
There are plenty of examples of people doing studies stuff with new technology and people die every day from misusing common items, so your point doesn’t really have much to do with the Vision Pro and more to do with how dumb a small segment of the population is, that did not start with the Vision Pro nor will it end with it. That doesn’t mean that Apple designed the thing poorly so I don’t quite understand your point? Was it Apple shouldn’t have made the Vision Pro because someone decided to drive with it on? Are you advocating that there should be warning labels on everything for every possible misuse of a product and the company that made said product should be responsible for every misuse or do you think we should not be blaming the company and designers of the product and should hold the user responsible? Are you saying we should stereotype all people in a group (Vision Pro owners) based on the actions of a handful of idiots who decided to use it in a way that defies common sense? I don’t think stereotyping groups of people based on the actions of a few is really the right thing to do here.
In a nutshell if anything breaks you are screwed ;D
It’s an Apple device, what did you expect?
The thing even has an external battery pack, and instead of using USB-C so you could use any power bank you already own, they designed a completely new proprietary connector. In 2024.
Who the fuck does that anymore, except Apple?
It’s even worse. The cable appears to be a bigger version of Lightning, because of course it is.
I can see the argument for having a connector that can’t be pulled out: if you were crossing a busy street or walking down a stairway with one of these strapped to your head and the cable came out, you’d be instantly blind.
Who the fuck wears a VR headset walking in the street, let alone crossing a road?
Walking in the street with a vr set on, that would be silly
No one, yet. The idea is (very obviously, I might mention) that we will be wearing AR or VR glasses just like many wear a smartwatch or carry a phone.
https://youtu.be/UvkgmyfMPks?si=dfGF9Zw5u0e3gZXR
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That’s wild 🤯
Apart from Apple users?
That is what the AR aspect of this headset is all about. It’s AR first VR second.
Actually I would argue it is VR first and AR second because in its dormant, non-powered state your view is completely blocked whereas if it were AR first you would just be looking through transparent glass lenses in its dormant, non-powered state.
Apple’s final destination with this product is AR and they are using it as AR but it is a VR headset replicating an AR experience because we do not have the technology yet to make something like this being AR dominant.
I say AR because they do full video passthrough first and have their UIs try to look a part of the real life environment (shadow effects on irl objects, menus are all semitransparent, etc).
You have to choose to do immersion instead, even the dorky eyes are implied to make it useful in IRL settings.
Not everything is good (the eyes are a total miss, the avatars are uncanny).
First of all this should NOT be the use case, it is dangerous, stupid, idiotic and shows that you dont care for your life and others.
But the proprietary connector plug itself is almost identical to the lightning connector, the only difference is that the bolster has some notches in it for the BATTERY to lock into. All the locking is in the battery, they could have, should have, used USB C or any other existing connector.
Um, it has twice as many pins. The same number of pins as thunderbolt which likely isn’t a coincidence.
Exactly, so it could’ve just been USB C
Did USB-c match their needs?
I can’t imagine it wouldn’t. The USB-PD spec can cover a verity of voltage and amperage combinations covering practically any digital electronic device up to 100W.
The only reason it’s not used everywhere, is that it does add complexity to extremely simple and inexpensive devices. This thing is not simple or inexpensive, and it doesn’t draw more than 100W.
Up to 240W now actually
That’s not really true - it maxes out at 5 Amps which is only a decent amount of power if you use (relatively) high voltages. Vision Pro runs at 13 volts, which isn’t supported by USB and if it was that would only be 65 watts - nowhere near enough to power this product.
Running at higher voltages (USB can do up to 48 volts) would likely have problems, it might be less efficient for example (which would mean they have to give it a larger battery).
I’ve heard that argument floating around and I don’t buy it. Step-up and down converters are a thing.
That’s a terrible argument. Apple could have very easily made this run at something other than 13v.
I’d be surprised if the headset even drew 65W, the other points notwithstanding
Yes, and apple did choose not to, so their customers will praise apple that they got ANOTHER only apple connector!
Not to mention the praise for “innovation”. I swear to God most of the “innovation” I see is more proprietary or useless shit to screw over the customer. I suppose regarding company priorities that’s excellent innovation.
Actually, if it breaks you get Apple to fix it. I think anyone who is spending $$3500+ on a portable device knows to be careful with it and doesn’t want it to break.
I saw already MULTIPLE people driving and using it, so i dont think they handle it with care
There are plenty of examples of people doing studies stuff with new technology and people die every day from misusing common items, so your point doesn’t really have much to do with the Vision Pro and more to do with how dumb a small segment of the population is, that did not start with the Vision Pro nor will it end with it. That doesn’t mean that Apple designed the thing poorly so I don’t quite understand your point? Was it Apple shouldn’t have made the Vision Pro because someone decided to drive with it on? Are you advocating that there should be warning labels on everything for every possible misuse of a product and the company that made said product should be responsible for every misuse or do you think we should not be blaming the company and designers of the product and should hold the user responsible? Are you saying we should stereotype all people in a group (Vision Pro owners) based on the actions of a handful of idiots who decided to use it in a way that defies common sense? I don’t think stereotyping groups of people based on the actions of a few is really the right thing to do here.