Early Vision Pro Adopters Are Feeling Buyer’s Remorse
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Apple’s groundbreaking Vision Pro hit the market in February 2024, and many eager Apple fans and tech enthusiasts with deep enough pockets jumped in right away. However, after spending the past year with the headset, many feel that it hasn’t lived up to the promise of delivering a new paradigm in spatial computing.
The Wall Street Journal spoke to several early adopters of the Vision Pro and found a common trend among them: many who couldn’t get enough of Apple’s $3,500 headset found themselves casting it aside once the initial novelty wore off.
While some of this is simply a function of what I like to call “shiny new toy syndrome” — the excitement of having something new to play with solely for its own sake — many of those interviews by the WSJ bought the Vision Pro legitimately believing they’d be able to use it for practical purposes.
For example, Dustin Fox, a 46-year-old realtor in Virginia, definitely bought it out of eagerness to have a new toy — “I’m like a little boy when something new comes out,” he said — he also thought he’d use it for work. Another early adopter, Tovia Goldstein, planned to use it to watch movies and TV shows.
However, both encountered problems early on, finding the headset too heavy and uncomfortable to wear for extended periods. A lack of apps didn’t help, either; the dream of using the Vision Pro for work purposes falls apart when you can’t find any apps that support your chosen profession.
It’s way too heavy. I can’t wear it for more than 20 or 30 minutes without it hurting my neck.
Dustin Fox, Vision Pro early adopter
These complaints aren’t anything new. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman made similar observations only days after the Vision Pro launched, citing sources at retail stores who indicated many folks were bringing back their pricey headsets within Apple’s standard 14-day return period. Gurman’s anecdotal feedback from a year ago mirrors what the WSJ reported. The only real difference is that some folks decided to hang onto the headset to give Apple a chance.
Many early adopters reported that the Vision Pro was heavy, uncomfortable, cumbersome, and even “headache-inducing,” which prevented it from being the productivity dream that some had hoped for. Some folks have also reported problems adjusting to the displays.
The Vision Pro also lacks meaningful shared experiences for family and friends. Apple initially helped justify the price tag by suggesting it could be an alternative to a similarly priced large-screened OLED TV, but that only works for loners with strong enough necks to put up with its weight.
Having sat through a Vision Pro demo at an Apple Store, I can also comment first-hand how easy it is to be blown away by the experience. However, not only is the demo carefully scripted to showcase the Vision Pro’s best features, but it’s also just the right amount of time to give you a full Vision Pro experience that stops short of making you realize it might be uncomfortable to wear for any longer.
After 60 minutes, you can’t, you just have to throw it down. I wouldn’t recommend anyone buying it,” he said, “unless you’re really rich and you don’t know what to do with your money.
Tovia Goldstein, Vision Pro early adopter
Neither Fox nor Goldstein has touched their Vision Pro in months. “It’s just collecting dust,” Fox said. “I think I’ve probably used it four times in the last year.”
A Social Stigma
In addition to the discomfort and lack of versatility, many early adopters also found they couldn’t get past the weirdness of wearing what looked like a pair of “ski goggles” strapped to their faces.
Anthony Racaniello, a 41-year-old Philadelphia resident, blames the Vision Pro for leaving him thirsty on a six-hour flight to Las Vegas, as the flight attendant kept ignoring him while he was wearing it. “You look like you have a sleep mask on,” he said, “and people are going to treat you that way.”
Racaniello also found that his dream of wearing the Vision Pro at work wasn’t so much hampered by the weight or app ecosystem but rather by the reactions of his co-workers. Many ridiculed him, and some even asked him to take it off because he “looked creepy” and it was disturbing them.
It’s definitely a glimpse at the future. I just think it’s a ways away from there. For now, you have to put on what feels like a 500-pound MacBook Pro, strap it to your face and have people laugh at you.
Anthony Racaniello, Vision Pro early adopter
Anshel Sag, a tech analyst from San Diego, had a similarly uncomfortable experience on flights. “I got pretty dirty looks from people,” he said. “I don’t need that.” Between that and the case taking up half of the volume of his carry-on bag, he stopped flying with it.
Nevertheless, not everyone has been completely let down by the Vision Pro. While “Apple superfan” Yam Olisker has used it much less than he expected, he told the WSJ that he doesn’t regret the purchase.
The 20-year-old Israeli YouTuber flew to New York last year to be one of the first in line to buy the Vision Pro, and even met Tim Cook and got his autograph on the back of his iPhone and the Vision Pro’s box. Olisker still loves watching movies and was particularly thrilled by the new Metallica immersive video. However, he also lies in bed while watching, which helps to overcome the weight issues.
