What you need to know
- Omar Shahine, the head of Microsoft Word, recently shared his experience with the Apple Vision Pro while flying to Dubai.
- He says the headset provides an immersive and superior experience compared to In-flight entertainment.
- He added that the headset is quite heavy, which makes it uncomfortable to wear for a long duration of time, and that it also strained his eyes.
When Apple announced that it would be dipping its foot into the VR landscape with its Vision Pro headset, users received the news with mixed feelings. Rumors hitting the windmill at the time indicated that the entry might be a flop even before it ships, especially after several reports surfaced online stating that Apple might not be able to deliver 1 million Vision Pro units by early 2024.
Fast forward to its debut, the augmented reality headset with spatial computing technology is becoming a hit among users. Despite the exorbitant $3,499 price tag, Apple sold approximately 200,000 Vision Pro headsets on pre-order, as spotted by MacRumors.
I know I’m not the only one baffled by the hundreds of viral videos of people using Apple’s Vision Pro headset as they go about their errands. Some have even attempted dangerous stunts like driving while wearing the headset.
Even the head of Microsoft Word, Omar Shahine, isn’t being left out of the craze. According to a spot by Luxurylaunches, Omar recently shared his experience with Apple’s VR headset while on a 16-hour flight from Seattle to Dubai. He primarily used the headset to entertain while flying business class in Emirates’ Boeing 777 aircraft.
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Most aircraft feature In-flight entertainment systems with a TV screen fitted to each seat. This might be enough for some, while others feel the need to complement this setup with their phones and laptops. But as it now seems, this experience can be raised a notch higher with the Vision Pro. As echoed by the Microsoft Word lead while expressing his experience with the Vision Pro as an entertainment companion on the flight, “This is wild!”
You might already know that the headset lets users run multiple programs simultaneously from reviews and first impressions of the Vision Pro. This is precisely what Omar meant when he said, “I am watching movies and browsing the Web using the entire cabin as my screen.”
Omar further stated how impressed he is with how much in-flight entertainment systems have improved over the years. With a stable internet connection and a “sizable” screen display, you can catch up on some of your favorite shows and documentaries as you head to your destination. And while this is impressive, Omar indicated that the Apple Vision Pro provides a superior and unmatched experience. He added that the in-flight entertainment setup stacks miles behind the user interface and experience you’ll find on the Vision Pro.
The headset ships with in-built speakers, though Omar pointed out that he used his Air Pods Pro for a better listening experience while flying to Dubai. He added that he preferred using them instead of Air Pods Max headphones. This is because the Vision Pro headset is quite bulky. Therefore, wearing the chunky Air Pod Max headphones simultaneously with the Vision Pro would make the whole experience uncomfortable.
According to Omar:
“I don’t find the Vision Pro that comfortable to wear. It’s heavy. And it strains my eyes a bit. Hopefully I get used to it.”
So far, the Apple Vision seems like an instant success, with most users sharing their experience with the entry and how it fits perfectly into their workflow and other use cases like entertainment. However, some safety concerns need to be addressed.
Microsoft’s idea, Apple’s execution
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently praised the entry as the “second most impressive tech” since the iPhone. Microsoft was well on its way to achieving greatness with its military-grade HoloLens headset, arguably better than the Apple Vision Pro. However, the tech giant’s failure to make the product more consumer-friendly points out why XREAL’s Air 2 Ultra AR glasses and Apple Vision Pro are quickly gaining traction and enjoying a high adoption rate among casual users.
RELATED: Apple Vision Pro vs. XREAL Air 2 Ultra
Maybe Microsoft might ship HoloLens 3 in the future, offering consumers a more affordable and app-forward unit. This might help the company reclaim its spot in the fast-evolving AR/VR landscape.
Are you willing to spend $3,499 on the Apple Vision Pro and use it to replace most of your gadgets? Omar says it’s “cheaper than my 77-inch OLED TV, Receiver, Speakers, and Apple TV and much better, more capable, and more fun.”
