title: All My Thoughts After 40 Hours in the Vision Pro
author: Tim Urban
content_type: article
publication: Wait But Why
published: 2024-02-09T18:24:38+00:00
source_url: https://waitbutwhy.com/2024/02/vision-pro.html
word_count: 5464
All My Thoughts After 40 Hours in the Vision Pro
Brief
Tim Urban spent over 40 hours using the Apple Vision Pro to evaluate hardware, OS, and applications. He calls the device a V1 platform: impressive but imperfect. On hardware, Vision Pro is relatively heavy (~650 g), uses an external battery (~3 hours), performs seamless iris scans, and delivers convincing pass‑through video using foveated rendering to show only the gaze target in full resolution. The outward eye display is still limited, and the headset’s field of view has noticeable black borders.
On software, VisionOS’s eye‑tracking and the “eye‑pinch” selection model are breakthrough interaction primitives that let the user place persistent, large virtual windows around physical space—transforming standard workflows (e.g., working on a 100‑inch virtual monitor on a couch). The current app ecosystem is narrow: standout demos include immersive entertainment, 3D panos, and FaceTime avatars (which currently trigger an uncanny‑valley effect). Urban positions the Vision Pro as a seed for a future S‑curve of XR innovation, noting price ($3,500) and limited content as short‑term barriers.
Why it matters
Tim Urban logged over 40 hours (about 12 hours/day for four days) with the Apple Vision Pro and reports strong initial “holy shit” moments but mixed long‑term enthusiasm.
Key details
- Hardware specifics: Vision Pro weighs ~650 g (vs Meta Quest 3 at 515 g), uses an external battery with ~3‑hour runtime, includes iris‑scanning Face ID, pass‑through cameras with foveated rendering, and currently has limited outward transparency of users’ eyes.
- Operating system details: VisionOS has highly accurate eye‑tracking and a novel “eye‑pinch” gesture (look at an object + pinch thumb/index) to select, enabling persistent spatial app windows and giant virtual screens for productivity.
- Ecosystem and content: The app selection is thin—best demos are immersive experiences (panoramic 3D photos, concerts, ‘Encounter Dinosaurs’), avatar FaceTime currently sits in the uncanny valley, and Urban frames the device as a V1 platform (price $3,500) with iPhone‑like long‑term potential.