I would be lying if I said that wearing Apple Vision Pro feels like you’re wearing nothing, so I’m not surprised that some overly enthusiastic wearers are complaining of headaches, neck aches, and even black eyes. It’s enough to prompt me, if not Apple to say, “You’re wearing it wrong.”
Apple is not saying that, though. In fact, after Marketplace published its report on Wednesday, Apple didn’t respond directly to the claims but did point to its Vision Pro guidelines.
Have you read them? I admit that even as a fairly consistent Vision Pro user, I didn’t pay much attention to them until today. They are worth a look; they read like the warning for Ozempic or some other new-fangled medicinal miracle.
Vision Pro, which I’m wearing now as I write this, is not a medical or health device. It’s a spatial computer that you wear on your face, but as something that is attached to your body and that can alter your perception of reality, it raises the bar for consumer electronics warnings.
In broad strokes, Apple warns Vision Pro users to “take regular breaks” and “avoid use if you’re feeling unwell,” along with a handful of “other safety considerations.”
In the breakdown, however, it gets more interesting.
One of my favorite Vision Pro activities is watching 3D movies. The other day I started Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast. In the Vision Pro, it’s a sumptuous feast for the eyes. The movie is also 2 hours and 19 minutes long. Leaving aside the fact that Vision Pro’s battery lasts just about 2 hours, Apple’s own guidelines recommend you take Vision Pro breaks every 20-to-30 minutes, especially as you are acclimating to the device.
Apple raises the alarm a notch by adding, “Stop using the device if you start to feel unwell at any point, even if you’ve been using the device for only a few minutes.”
Even so, I think Apple’s intention here is not to frighten spatial computing recruits or to set a fixed time limit for Vision Pro use. Instead, I think it wants to help people ease into longer sessions, especially those that might be necessary to enjoy an entire movie (or get a day’s work done). I never read the guidelines before, so, of course, I’ve been watching nearly two continuous hours of film at a time. I usually only take breaks because someone interrupts me. During my review process, I regularly wore the headset for more than an hour.
Apple’s Vision Pro guidelines are full of dire-sounding warnings about not using the headset while already unwell or impaired (do not drink and Vision Pro, folks). If you’ve had any work done on your face, you should probably steer clear of the headset.
There are some other warnings about overheating the battery and even unpleasant display cracks, but the focus is really, as it should be, on head comfort and avoiding pain and injury.
I’ve worn the 1.3 lb Vision Pro a lot since February and there are some lessons I’ve learned about comfort.
As I noted in my review, the default single strap doesn’t provide enough support for my tastes and I did feel significant face discomfort when I tried to use it. I could feel the weight of the headset on my face and I had a headache-inducing habit of holding my eyebrows up in permanent surprise to try and support the spatial computer.
The Dual Loop band, which wraps behind and over my head is a different story. It lifts the device off the bridge of my nose and face. Some people have told me they find more comfort in the single band, which I find surprising, and wonder if they’ve ever tried the dual-band (both ship with the Vision Pro).
Even with this more comfortable band, I do experience some mild discomfort. Like right now, there’s a weird pain in my left temple. It’s not sharp but it is there. I’ve had it before and know that as soon as I remove the headset, the pain will disappear. My guess is that Vision Pro won’t be a completely comfortable fit until it sheds a half pound or 300 grams.
There will be an outline of the goggles around my eyes that will make me look like a championship skier coming off the slopes but without the potential to medal.
If I’ve worn Vision Pro long enough, when I remove it I’ll have what I like to refer to as “Vision Pro Face”. There will be an outline of the goggles around my eyes that will make me look like a championship skier coming off the slopes but without the potential to medal.
The mild discomfort I feel when wearing Vision Pro and working, playing, or consuming content in it invariably fades away as I dive into my activity. I can almost but not quite forget I’m wearing them. I think that’s the experience for most early adopters. They paid $3,500 for the privilege of being the first contingent of spatial computing-nauts. Like those who strap into the Jeff Bezos Blue Origin for a quick trip to space, they know there will be some risk and even frustration and pain but the benefits of this powerful and honestly one-of-a-kind system far outweigh them.
I think Apple knows this. It understands what it sold consumers and will happily share the safety precautions and guidelines. You’re not wearing it wrong and this is the Vision Pro V1 experience.
[Removes Vision Pro and rubs face in earnest.]