«The Vision Pro can isolate, but it can also connect»

The Apple Vision Pro has arrived. In the United States, that is. It’ll probably be months before the augmented reality headset’s available in Switzerland. Digitec Galaxus customer René Vogel didn’t want to wait that long, so the self-employed business analyst flew to New York for the sales launch. He was one of the first to hold Apple’s new headset.

Today, three days later, René’s back in Switzerland. I visit him in his home to chat about his experiences and the Vision Pro – a device that’s walking the tightrope of innovation and futility, interaction and isolation, utopia and dystopia. For my own impressions of Apple’s futuristic gadget, read this article:

René, do you still find the real world exciting enough?
René Vogel: Yes. The Vision Pro isn’t a substitute for reality – especially interactions with other people. In some respects, the headset in its current state’s actually a selfish product. It’s designed to be used alone.

Do you feel isolated when you’re wearing the Vision Pro?
A bit, yes. I can’t «quickly show» anyone what I’m seeing. Besides, the Vision Pro’s not yet socially accepted because it’s such a new product. That causes uncertainty with people. When I’m wearing the headset, I can see my surroundings well and can have a conversation without any problems. But the other person doesn’t know that. That’s why, when the cabin staff arrived on my return flight from New York, I took it off – out of respect.

In other situations, however, the Vision Pro will facilitate social connections. With SharePlay, for example, I could watch a movie in sync with someone on the other side of the world and bring them into my living room via FaceTime.

How do people react when they see you wearing your headset?
They’re curious. My kids want to try it out all the time. They quickly understood how to use it. So far, I’ve only worn the headset on the aeroplane and at home. If I wore it in the supermarket, people would probably think I was crazy.

Why were you so keen to be one of the first owners of the Vision Pro?
I was incredibly excited about the experience. I like the idea of switching seamlessly between physical and virtual reality. Yet, it’ll probably be months before the augmented reality headset’s available in Switzerland. I just didn’t want to wait that long. And I’m a bit of a freak when it comes to these things – I also flew to the USA for the sales launches of the iPhone and iPad.

How did the atmosphere at the Vision Pro launch day compare?
It was totally different. When the iPhone was launched, people camped out in front of the Apple Store. This time, I arrived outside the store in Grand Central shortly before 7 a.m. and was only the fifth customer. The atmosphere was great. By the time the store opened, the queue had grown a bit longer. Come 8 a.m. and I was finally wearing the Vision Pro for the first time.

The employees take a lot of time for each customer. They choose the right pads to make sure the headset fits you well and they show you how to operate it. In my case, this took half an hour. There was no hurry at all.

Some might call you an Apple cultist. Do you agree?
No. I like these products for personal and rational reasons. I entered the computer world many years ago as a service technician at Noser Systeme AG in Winterthur – an Apple dealer. Over the years, I’ve also worked with Windows devices a lot and today, I own an Android phone and an iPhone. My experience has shown that with Apple devices, I need less time to fix things that don’t work the way I want them to.

Quite often, Apple doesn’t invent anything new, but combines existing ideas in the right way. Same goes for the Vision Pro. Apple products cost more and are more robust. In addition, if something does go wrong, Apple offers excellent support.

Does the Vision Pro meet your expectations?
Absolutely. I’ve used the headset for about 15 hours and wouldn’t want to be without it again. I’m still fascinated by the way I can operate it with my eyes and hands. Personally, I think it’s incredibly intuitive – everything worked straight away. For example, the headset automatically measures the distance between your eyes and adjusts the displays accordingly. I don’t have to do anything. I’ve noticed hardly anything negative so far. There was just one time when I was in a dialogue and would’ve needed an escape key that didn’t exist.

Many people find the Vision Pro too expensive.
There’s no question it’s an expensive gadget – only freaks are going to buy them for the moment. But if I consider how much a good home cinema or computer monitor cost, I think the price of the Vision Pro is justified.

In which everyday situations will you use the headset?
Yesterday, I watched a movie in the virtual cinema for the first time. What an impressive experience! I can also imagine using the Vision Pro as an external monitor – especially to have large screens with me when I’m travelling. It would mean I’d only have to take my laptop and headset with me.

Do you think the concept of virtual and augmented reality will catch on?
I’m sure it’ll take some time. But there are so many ways to use it that no one has even thought of – virtual house viewings, virtual escape rooms, virtual cultural tours. I’m sure there’ll be more and more apps.

I managed the Swiss National Museum for a long time. The Vision Pro’s the first headset that’s good enough for a museum experience in augmented reality. Real objects would be reproduced well enough and could be enriched with digital content. Or people who’re no longer able to physically go to a museum could go on a completely virtual museum tour.

Or how about historical hiking trails where you put on your headset at defined places, allowing you, for instance, to see the original building instead of an old ruin? I’d like to be at the forefront of implementing such ideas.

Well then, see you in three years at the virtual Battle of Morgarten. Thanks for the insights and have fun with the Vision Pro, René!