The Apple VisionPro probably isn’t for you, but the Vision Product Line will be for everyone

When a brand new technology platform is released it is almost always geared towards very early adopters. From early computers to the early Internet (remember NCSA Mosaic?) to the first iPhone — all of these represented major foundational shifts that early adopters used long before mass adoption.

Apple has made a clear message in the release of their pioneering step into building the Spatial Computing by naming the product the VisionPro rather than Vision. That being said, it’s not hard to imagine a future where Apple does introduce a consumer-focused product called simply Vision, and at a much lower price point.

What I think a lot of people missed about the release of the VisionPro is the venue that it was released in — WWDC, Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference. Apple holds a range of events but WWDC is a developer-focused event and out of the gate, with a new platform like Spatial Computing the goal here is clearly to give developers the chance to start wrapping their head around things.

A lot of people have also commented on the price tag for the VisionPro, which currently clocks in at exactly 50% of the price of a MacPro. While I’m comparing just to illustrate that Apple already has a very mature Pro product, not aimed at consumers, that’s priced at $7,000.

For a completely new platform this price shouldn’t be that much of a shocker for anyone. As a point of comparison, the first laptop was released by Compaq in 1982 for the equivalent of $9,000 today. And yes, just like the VisionPro most people wondered — why the heck would I need that?

And yes, this is what the first “portable” computer looked like. So if you’re giving Apple any grief over the size of the VisionPro, know that it’s, without a doubt, going to get a lot more sleek.

For the rest of 2023 lots of speculation will continue about VisionPro and the entire concept of Spatial Computing. This speculation will be, like all speculation, highly speculative — no surprises there. The reality is, you never know anything about a new product, and especially about a new category until real people start using it.

The question in my mind is — what happens in the future when all the apps you use on your phone and/or iPad are available on Apple Vision. Just like Apple has the iPad and the iPad Pro and the iPhone and the iPhone and the iPhone Pro, I think we can go beyond speculation and say — Apple will have a Vision and a Vision Pro.

What I think is really interesting to think about is if Apple might end up cannibalizing its own product lineup. Right now I have both an iPhone and an iPad, but in the future — would I need either or could Vision replace both?

And going a bit further, the vast majority of the time I spend using my computer is on Zoom, Slack, and email — I’m already getting very close to seeing my iPad replace my computer, so could the Vision replace all three?

All I can say today is that I’ve been a very early adopter of just about any technology I can get my hands on. I love using things that don’t have a ton of use-cases, are still buggy, and feel a bit clunky — to me this is the fun blue sky territory that has always sparked my love for technology and the spirit on innovation.

If you like polished products that are mostly bug free, aren’t clunky, and have lots of use cases — just know the VisionPro is not for you, and that’s okay. But Spatial Computing — it’s probably going to be for everyone, but like all new technologies, it’s going to take some time.