See all CNET transcripts on Youtube

youtube thumbnail

Vision Pro Has a Speed Limit: New Details on Apple’s Headset

6 minutes 1 seconds

Speaker 1

00:00:00 - 00:00:05

We are learning more about the Apple Vision Pro headset. Developers are able to do a little tinkering

Speaker 2

00:00:06 - 00:00:13

with the release of a software development kit. And programmers can now simulate what their apps are gonna look like

Speaker 1

00:00:13 - 00:00:25

in a spatial computing environment, but of course in a limited way. Since Apple revealed the mixed reality device during WWDC, we still have many questions about the headset. How much does it weigh?

Speaker 2

00:00:25 - 00:00:28

What is the field of view? What about storage? Or what if you want

Speaker 1

00:00:28 - 00:00:59

to use a controller? Some facts are trickling in, and sometimes new facts mean new questions. 1 month passed WWDC and there's 1 more reason to discuss the headset, to review everything new we've learned since its reveal. I'm Bridget Cary and this is 1 More Thing. Apple's gonna keep a lot under wraps about the Vision Pro headset until we get closer to its launch sometime in 2024, but we also will have some facts that naturally will spill out while developers get to play and create their apps.

Speaker 1

00:00:59 - 00:01:42

In July, Apple will open developer labs in 6 cities around the world, Cupertino, of course, but also London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo, all to provide developers with hands-on experience to test their apps on actual Vision Pro hardware and get support from Apple engineers. But in the meantime, folks have been able to simulate a bit of it with Apple's developer tools. Basically, it's just seeing how your app may behave in the headset, but you're on your computer in a 2D environment, faking the whole 3D experience. Apple says developers can apply for a development kit starting in July. With the new tools, 1 of the first things we have learned is that there's a travel mode and a speed limit.

Speaker 1

00:01:42 - 00:02:09

9to5Mac reports that some Vision OS codes seen by their reporters suggest that Vision Pro could limit its functionality when the user is moving too fast. Because the system has alerts that pop up telling the wearer that they are moving at an unsafe speed. 9to5Mac also reports another message that will pop up. It reads, virtual content has been temporarily hidden until you return to a safe speed. So, um, I guess you can't use it while in a car?

Speaker 1

00:02:09 - 00:02:32

Or maybe you can't run around the house too fast? What about when you're traveling in an airplane, like we saw demoed in the keynote video? Well, we do see evidence of a travel mode that you can switch on, and that makes a lot of sense because you do not want the movement of a plane to cause the headset to think you are moving. You would get crazy dizzy. If it locks down movement, the headset could just be a video viewer.

Speaker 1

00:02:32 - 00:02:40

Other motion-based headsets also have to deal with this shutting down the motion effects so you don't get this drift from the plane's motion.

Speaker 2

00:02:40 - 00:02:42

We also learned a bit about security.

Speaker 1

00:02:42 - 00:02:56

Apple already said that the headset uses iris-scanning biometrics for logins with what it called Optic ID. And similar to Face ID or Touch ID, the details of your Optic ID stays on the device. But what if you just want

Speaker 2

00:02:56 - 00:02:59

to lend it to a friend to check out?

Speaker 1

00:02:59 - 00:03:30

We now see there is a guest mode. Apple Insider reporter Andrew O'Hara tweeted this out. He wrote that you can create a passcode that is valid for 5 minutes to allow someone to try out your Vision Pro without gaining access to your data. We don't know too much yet about availability when it goes on sale next year, but you may have to make an appointment to buy it. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple is considering to require appointments for purchases, which is something Apple also did for the original Apple Watch in 2015.

Speaker 1

00:03:30 - 00:03:36

And that could be because there's a lot involved to make sure you get a headset tailored to fit you right. Apple would

Speaker 2

00:03:36 - 00:03:38

need to set up areas in the store for demonstrations.

Speaker 1

00:03:38 - 00:04:09

And Bloomberg reports that customers would need to choose the correct size headband and light seal, which would keep outside light from getting into the headset. It all depends on the shape of your face. And there could be an iPhone app to scan your face to help find the right size for you. And you know, there's also the issue of needing time in your appointment to get the right corrective lenses if you need to order an optical insert. That's because if you use eyeglasses, you need a special lens insert made by German camera and lens company, Zeiss.

Speaker 1

00:04:09 - 00:04:24

We don't know the price to order them, but we can see in these images from the Zeiss website what they're gonna look like. It is said that Apple made a second strap to go over a wearer's head, and that could help with potential weight issues of the headset. But Bloomberg pointed out,

Speaker 2

00:04:24 - 00:04:30

we don't know if Apple will include the strap in the box or sell it as an extra accessory.

Speaker 1

00:04:30 - 00:04:31

The design of the headset

Speaker 2

00:04:31 - 00:04:36

is very modular. There are different parts that connect in different ways, meaning we could see

Speaker 1

00:04:36 - 00:05:06

a variation of other third-party accessories. And as reported by the site Road to VR, the face pad is magnetically attached, so we could see other products that maybe make use of this magnetic attachment points. And the Zeiss corrective lenses I talked about, they're also said to be magnetic. If you're wondering what countries could get it after the US, well maybe there is a clue in the Vision OS beta. Felipe Esposito says the current Vision OS build has been translated to German, French, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.

Speaker 1

00:05:07 - 00:05:28

In July, we will have to check in with another update of what else we learned when developers make it hands-on time with the headsets. In the meantime, Tell me your biggest burning questions about the headset that you want answered. And if you watched last week's episode on widgets, I do have a Bridgette widget update for you. I have given up on all widgets except 1, the reminders widget.

Speaker 2

00:05:28 - 00:05:44

Let me show you. It's up here. Now, I got Duo Lingo lingering over here. It was, to me, the most interesting widget, always begging for my attention throughout the day, cheering me on when I did well, crying, making me feel bad when I might forget to redo my streak. But you

Speaker 1

00:05:44 - 00:06:00

know what? Duo, my dude, the drama, is taking up 4 app squares here. So I'm going to move you and all that mood to my page 2. And hopefully when iOS 17 gets more interactive widgets, they will actually be more useful. That's it for today.

Speaker 1

00:06:00 - 00:06:00

Until next time, my friends.