Decoder with Nilay Patel Is the Apple Vision Pro All That?
Feb 22, 2024
Joanna Stern, a senior tech columnist at the Wall Street Journal, and Mark Gurman, Bloomberg's Apple guru, dive deep into the Apple Vision Pro. They discuss the $3,500 headset's features and mixed reviews from early users. The conversation highlights the challenges of wearable tech, market acceptance, and pricing issues. With humorous anecdotes, they reflect on the device’s immersive capabilities and its potential for both connectivity and isolation. The duo also touches on privacy concerns and Apple's future strategies in the evolving tech landscape.
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Uncanny Personas
- The Vision Pro's "personas" feature creates a 3D rendering of users for video calls, since the device lacks a front-facing camera.
- However, the early version of this feature is being criticized for producing unflattering, unrealistic avatars.
Strategic Beta
- Apple strategically uses "beta" labeling to manage expectations for new features like personas, buying themselves time to improve them.
- This allows them to ship essential features without being held to the same standard as fully polished products.
Galloway's Critique
- Scott Galloway questions whether the Vision Pro is an "ego-driven call option" for Tim Cook to compete with Meta.
- He suggests the headset category may be a "giant thud", even if Apple's version is more elegant.