The Apple Vision Pro is an incredible device – in terms of quality it’s one of the best VR headsets you can buy – but it isn't exactly priced for consumers. After all, not many people can drop $3,499 on a luxury product. But what if the Vision Pro’s most interesting use cases are for businesses? Well, it looks like Apple just gave us a big reason to believe it does.
In a new press release, Apple has laid out all the many ways the Vision Pro can enhance business productivity. Some of the dazzling applications, like the Porsche Race Engineer app (below), are arguably more compelling than many of the Vision Pro's consumer use cases so far. And this enterprise push suggests that consumers may be better off waiting for a second-generation, non-Pro version of the headset.
That long list of business use cases includes creating a virtual (and private) office space, viewing product analytics on a large map, conducting design and collaboration work, as well as my favorite: training and simulation.
Ever since Microsoft first debuted the HoloLens, I’ve been convinced that the most compelling argument for augmented reality (AR) headsets is training and repair work. Imagine looking at a busted water pipe and seeing a virtual overlay pointing out exactly what you need to do to fix it. It’s super practical and could be a brilliant tool for professionals in a multitude of areas.
The Vision Pro is perfect for this kind of situation, as the new KLM Royal Dutch Airlines app (below) shows. The headset boasts ultra-high-resolution visuals, excellent audio, a robust design and the ability to join calls (with clients or colleagues) while you use another app. We’ve long been looking at those features with a consumer’s eye – but they’re arguably better for businesses.
KLM's Engine Shop app, for example, means technicians can train on the airlines' latest engines which, according to the airline, "reduces errors" and saves "valuable time". Ultimately, then, the big benefit of this first-generation Vision Pro for most of us will likely be through better customer service and consumer experiences.
Quality and price
It’s not just the Vision Pro that has a bunch of compelling business uses – AR headsets in general are ideally suited to this – but Apple’s device has an edge in that it is easily the highest-quality one on the market.
While the price is going to be a problem for most consumers, it’s not such an issue for enterprises, particularly if it can quickly augment their daily work. And judging by these new examples from Apple, plenty of firms are already putting it to good use.
What if you’re a consumer, then? Well, there are still plenty of excellent ways for everyone else to use the Vision Pro that have no relation to the world of work. It comes with a bunch of great games and is a superb way to enjoy movies and TV shows.
But unless you’ve got the cash to spare, it’s unlikely $3,499 is going to be a palatable price to pay. In that case, you’re best off waiting for the cheaper headset Apple is rumored to be building. The bad news? It’s not expected for a couple more years. But by that point perhaps Apple will have fixed some of the Vision Pro’s problems – and made it as brilliant for consumers as it is for businesses.
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