It's been a couple of weeks since Apple's Vision Pro headset hit the market. Apple's latest product is in a league of its own right now. There's no other headset on the market that quite matches up to it. It's evident that this is the ultimate mixed reality headset that money can buy at this point in time.
Apple has done an amazing job with the software of this headset. It provides a unique user experience when you're using the Vision Pro indoors. For example, if you're in your living room and watching video, you can pin that virtual window and walk over to your bedroom. That window will be there right where you left it when you go back to the living room. The great software experience is what I particularly enjoy seeing about the Vision Pro.
What I'm not really thrilled about seeing is people using the Vision Pro when they're out and about. Let's leave the absurdity of strapping a chunky headset to your face when stepping out of the house aside for one moment. It's dangerous, people are walking around on the streets and some have even made the idiotic decision of driving while wearing the Vision Pro. As any sane person would agree, this is distracting and surely a recipe for disaster.
You might think I'm nitpicking here because the Vision Pro is an Apple product, but that's not what this is about. It's about the influence that technology has on the fabric of society and as polarized as it is already, one can argue that there's no need to add fuel to the fire. Now, the concept of a headset itself is nothing new. We've already seen different manifestations of this product, such as the PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest, and even the Gear VR from Samsung.
However, none of them can really be used as a “mobile” device much in the way the Vision Pro can, thank heavens. As we're already seeing, people are using the Vision Pro on the go and it's already having an impact on how people communicate. Videos are emerging of people walking into coffee shops with this monstrosity strapped to their facing and placing orders, interacting with others, taking public transit, etc.
It seems to be ushering in a dystopian reality that has long been the refuge of sci-fi films and games. Using a device like this, one that severely diminishes the genuineness of interpersonal communications, may have a lasting impact on the social fabric. It's a minor example, but don't you find it rude when you're trying to talk to someone and instead of paying attention to you, they're on their phone? It feels 10x worse when the other person is wearing a big headset on their face, it's as if they don't find you worthy enough to even look at you.
We've already seen the impact smartphones have had on interpersonal communication, and it hasn't all been for the better. That's why this bugs me so much. The Vision Pro is too big, basically a monstrosity, that you can't ignore even if you wanted to. Secondly, we should focus more on human communication rather than hiding behind displays all the time, which ironically is what many of these tech companies say their products enable, making our lives easier so we can spend more time with our loved ones. Lastly, it also feels like the Vision Pro goes against a philosophy that Apple has long advocated for.
The general perception among Apple customers and fans has always been that the company stands for creating a better world, not just in terms of improving technology, but also for improving the quality of human communication and contributing to the wellbeing of our planet. This was what I've heard from most of the Apple fans I've spoken to. When I asked what they thought about Samsung, most of them said that Samsung only focuses on technology advancement and doesn't have the same make-the-world-a-better-place goals like Apple.
I shared how Samsung is also bringing a brand new product recently, the Galaxy Ring, that will enable users to track their health and fitness with a device that's minimally distracting. Most were excited at the possibility, saying that such a device would enable them to track the metrics they want while wearing a regular watch and not be distracted by a smartwatch all the time. These were not people who are particularly tech savvy or like staying ahead of the curve, and it's always refreshing to hear their perspectives on they believe new tech can improve their lives.
What this made me feel was that despite its long history of setting the standard with tech that seemingly strives for a higher ideal, Apple has left the field open for Samsung to do that this time around. The contributions that Samsung is making to tech now can lead us all to a more genuine and less dystopian society, which I would argue is the need of the hour, since everybody's attention span has been fried now due to an overexposure to social media platforms.
While it's true that Samsung is preparing its answer to the Apple Vision Pro. Samsung's mixed reality headset is a collaborative effort alongside Google and Qualcomm, My sincere hope is that it doesn't lead us down to a similar dystopian future. Google Glass seems like the right blueprint to emulate rather than the Vision Pro, it's just the right balance of futuristic technology without distorting what it means to communicate with your fellow human beings.
