Is the Chinese version of Apple Vision Pro a cutting-edge technology or a work that needs improvement?
On June 28th Beijing time, the Chinese version of Apple Vision Pro was officially released. According to the official website of Apple China, each customer is limited to 2 Vision Pro units, and there are three storage versions available in the store, with prices ranging from 29999 yuan to 32999 yuan. The device is equipped with a Micro OLED display, Apple M2 chip, multiple sensors and cameras, providing approximately 2 hours of battery life.
User feedback on Apple Vision Pro has been mixed, with some praising its high-definition display and sound quality, but there are also shortcomings. In addition, the application ecosystem of Vision Pro is not yet mature, with limited numbers of games and movies. There are also practical issues, such as the inability to unlock the phone on the face and the inconvenience caused by frequent wearing. For users with poor eyesight, Apple provides customized Zeiss optical inserts, which are suitable for most vision problems but still have limited user experience with high astigmatism.
The staff stated that currently, there is no open purchasing channel in physical stores, and many customers directly pay online to book and experience later. If satisfied, they can pick up the goods directly, and if dissatisfied, they can modify the customized content (including headband size, etc.). If customers feel that they do not want to buy, they will receive a full refund. In subsequent orders, customers usually need to wait 3-5 days to receive the customized Vision Pro.
The Vision Pro National Edition is officially launched with three different storage capacity versions
At 8 o'clock in the morning, the Apple retail store located on the negative first floor of Yitian Holiday Plaza on Nanshan Avenue in Shenzhen was bustling with people. Some customers arrived early in the store, preparing to start the previously scheduled 30 minute Vision Pro experience. A user who had made an appointment for the first batch of experiences told a reporter from Securities Times, "I was quite lucky to get a spot for the first day experience this time. Although I woke up early, the idea of buying Vision Pro overcame my difficulties." The reporter noticed that there were also many users who had not made an appointment and hoped that the store staff could coordinate and help to install a reservation experience.
On June 14th, when Apple's pre-sale was launched, the reporter saw on the Apple official website that in order to book a Vision Pro experience, consumers need to have an Apple account and log in on their device, and then choose the appropriate offline store and time. All appointment details will be confirmed and notified via email. Once the appointment is successful, consumers will have the opportunity to experience a 30 minute Vision Pro demonstration. Apple also suggests that if consumers wear glasses on a regular basis, they should bring them to the store in order to select the appropriate lenses for the Vision Pro. In order to ensure that customers can have the best experience, Apple has also arranged professional instructors to assist in the store.
A woman who did not make an appointment for the experience told the reporter that although she did not make an appointment, she still wanted to come and see it as soon as possible. She said, "I tried to make an appointment on the official website around 9:05 am on June 14th, but initially it showed an internet error, and then it showed that all available appointment times were full. In the end, I successfully made an appointment around 9:30 am, but it was already scheduled for July 2nd. After half an hour of delay, I had to wait for an additional 4 days."
The staff in the Apple store told reporters that Apple has prepared three versions with different storage capacities. The 256GB version is priced at 29999 yuan, the 512GB version is priced at 31499 yuan, and the 1TB version is priced at 32999 yuan. Customers can also order Zeiss optical inserts and a series of accessories according to their personal needs. "Due to the fact that many applications have not yet been opened, and the Vision Pro ecosystem is not very complete, I think customers don't need to buy a version with 1TB of memory capacity." The staff said.
In terms of parameters, Vision Pro is equipped with a high transparency Micro OLED display screen, with a pixel size of 23 million. The chip configuration is Apple M2 and R1 chips. Equipped with 12 sensors, 5 cameras, and 6 microphones, the official statement states that a single charge can provide 2 hours of battery life and 2.5 hours of video playback. Users can use gestures, eyes, or voice controls to complete interactions.
Different user perspectives and feedback on Apple Vision Pro
The reporter noticed on site that as some customers gradually completed the experience, some of the accompanying customers did not fully participate in the experience. The staff explained to the reporter that there are currently no multiple people experiencing this option (the specific experience content cannot be disclosed by the staff). Due to differences in customer head size and vision, and to ensure the completeness of the experience content, it can only be experienced by a single person at present. After experiencing it, Mr. Hui told the reporter, "I feel that the clarity is quite in line with my expectations, and the sound transmission level and clarity of the headphones are very good. Overall, the experience is very good. However, I feel that the bridge of the nose is not completely covered, and there is some light leakage."
It is understood that to ensure a seamless augmented reality experience, Vision Pro is equipped with powerful hardware, including a high-performance GPU (graphics processing unit) and specific AR optimization technology. Apple's custom designed processors and graphics capabilities ensure smooth and efficient processing of complex AR applications. Users can enjoy high fidelity AR content without encountering any latency or performance issues. In addition, according to Apple's official website, Vision Pro can seamlessly integrate with the existing Apple ecosystem. Users can use the functionality of Apple's virtual assistant Siri to control headphones through voice commands. In addition, its integration with other Apple devices such as iPhones and Macs helps to easily share content and enhance functionality.
"There is a dinosaur appearing in front of me in the display content, and after I make the actions, its position will also change, just like entering Jurassic Park." Mr. Hui smiled and said, "But now there is no Apple TV content in the Chinese version, so the overall content is still a bit lacking. If I need to watch movies that are not in it, I have to download them myself and then upload them to Vision Pro through Apple's AirDrop, which feels a bit troublesome."
The reporter learned that some game enthusiasts hope to use Vision Pro for a different gaming experience. It is understood that the game ecosystem of Vision Pro is not yet very large, with a total of about 2000 games, many of which are small games. Users need to use screen mirroring to play games that are not within the ecosystem.
It is worth mentioning that while users are immersed in their own world, they also encounter awkward situations. When users wear Vision Pro, they cannot unlock their Apple phones, iPads, and other devices using their facial features unless using an Apple Watch. Due to the design of Vision Pro being magnetically connected and having a certain weight, users need to repeatedly wear it when transmitting data on their mobile phones. Meanwhile, China is a country where QR codes are widely used, and according to store staff, although Vision Pro has multiple cameras, it does not support the function of scanning codes for payment. However, it can solve the problem of repeated wearing by using methods such as screen mirroring.
For users with poor eyesight, Apple has partnered with Zeiss to provide customers with two optical inserts, with the Presbyopia version priced at 799 yuan and the Prescription version priced at 1199 yuan. The Apple store staff introduced to the reporter that users can undergo their own optometry, and then fill in the optometry form in the official purchase channel information column or take it to the store and hand it over to the staff. However, optical inserts are currently only suitable for nearsightedness and farsightedness. If users have symptoms such as high astigmatism, they need to go to the official Apple website to customize optical inserts that are suitable for themselves. "Although special optical inserts can be customized, the user experience with high astigmatism will be affected," the store staff reminded.
The American version of Vision Pro was launched in the US as early as February 2nd this year, and Bloomberg analysts believe that Vision Pro heavily relies on a powerful AR application ecosystem. Although Apple's reputation and developer community are strong, the initial usability of applications may be limited. If there are not a large number of eye-catching applications, the potential and value of the device may decrease.
Is the high price worth it? When will the affordable version come?
According to Apple's official website, the 256GB version with the smallest memory is priced at 29999 yuan, while the US official website shows that although the 256GB version with the smallest memory is much cheaper than the Chinese version, it still costs $3499 (about 25400 yuan).
(Price comparison between US and Chinese versions. Source/Apple official website, Apple China official website)
When the Vision Pro was first released for after-sales service, although priced high, it was still sought after by many consumers. According to Apple's renowned analyst Guo Minggui, the US version of the Vision Pro sold 160000 to 180000 units during its first pre order weekend. At one point, the highest domestic purchasing price reached around 100000 yuan. The reporter found on some e-commerce platforms that the current price of some American versions of Vision Pro is 4000 to 5000 yuan lower than that of the Chinese version, but there are still some merchants whose prices are far higher than the market price.
However, Guo Minggui once pointed out that this headset was sold out shortly after the pre order process opened, and the delivery time of all models was delayed by 5 to 7 weeks. Although at first glance, instant sales and extended shipping times seem to suggest that product pre-sales are positive, Guo Minggui warns that the Vision Pro shipping date remains unchanged 48 hours after the pre-sale opening, indicating that demand may rapidly decrease after core enthusiasts place orders.
At the same time, some users who had previously purchased the American version of Vision Pro also reported that it was "stunning but also had shortcomings" and "the highlights were mediocre, so there was no need to board the car.".
Apple analyst Guo Minggui also revealed in April that Apple had cut orders even before the Vision Pro was launched outside the United States. His source said that Apple now expects sales to be only 400000-450000 units in 2024, while previously Apple believed that annual sales should be 700000-800000 units. The decrease in demand for the Vision Pro priced at $3499 is much lower than Apple's expectations.
Due to weak demand and high pricing, many users are hesitant, and Apple is currently planning to launch a cheaper version of Vision Pro. According to a June report by foreign media insiders, Apple has suspended the development of the second-generation Vision Pro and instead shifted to developing a budget version of Vision Pro, codenamed N109, with a target of release by the end of 2025. Bloomberg also recently updated this report, stating that the affordable version of Vision Pro will be launched by the end of 2025, with the development code N107. However, it was clarified that Apple is still developing the second generation of Vision Pro, codenamed N109, which is planned to be launched by the end of 2026. In addition, Apple has resumed the development of AR glasses.
It is understood that in order to reduce costs, Apple may simplify certain features, such as removing EyeSight displays and lowering virtual reality screen specifications, using lower performance chips, and reducing the visual quality of augmented reality. The expected selling price of this device is between $1500 and $2000, but the experience may not be as good as products from competitors such as Meta.
Currently, Apple's Vision Pro's main competitors in the market include Meta's Quest 2 and Microsoft's HoloLens 2. These devices each have their own characteristics, but in terms of price, Meta's Quest 2 provides a more economical virtual reality experience, with its 256GB storage version priced at $299, making it more affordable. In contrast, Vision Pro has a higher price point due to its high-end technology and features, targeting consumers seeking advanced augmented reality experiences.
