headset Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Shapiro Consultants

A Meta Quest 3 bug has made the headset unusable for many, but a fix is coming

March 21, 2024
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If you've managed to avoid Meta Quest 3 update v62 you might want to keep it uninstalled for a while longer. That’s because some users who have downloaded the update, which was released last month, have been plagued by an annoying warning popup telling them there’s dust or debris in their USB port, when this isn’t the case.

What makes this popup especially annoying is that even if you try to dismiss the erroneous warning it’ll reappear again and again, leaving the headset feeling “essentially worthless” according to some disgruntled Meta Quest 3 customers.

It’s not clear what's causing the issue – I haven’t seen the popup at all, and I’ve been using my Quest 3 every single day for my VR fitness experiment, and anecdotal accounts from social media suggest that even if two people are using the headset in similar ways, one may see the popup while the other doesn't. But now there’s some potentially good news from Meta.

The Meta Quest 3 and controllers on their charging station which is itself on a wooden desk next to a lamp — We suggest only using official Quest 3 chargers (Image credit: Meta)

On the main Meta Community Forum page where people have been sharing their experiences, an official Meta Quest Support moderator has shared an update saying “Issue Replicated. Fix In Progress.”

While this is great news for the many Quest 3 users annoyed by the bogus USB-C port warning, the moderator stressed that the team doesn’t yet have a timeline for when a fix will be available – just that they've been able to replicate the issue, and have started to test possible solutions.

This vagueness has resulted in undertandable annoyance amongst those affected – especially those who have been having troubles with the warning message for over six weeks since v62 rolled out. In the forum thread linked above, we’ve seen people threatening to never buy Meta VR tech ever again, recommending that people file chargebacks on the credit card they bought the headset with, and generally venting their frustrations with the issue.

If you’re in this boat, is there anything you can do?

What can you do to avoid the Quest 3 bug?

The Meta Quest 3 resting on a blue couch with its controllers on a blanket — Can the bug be avoided? (Image credit: Meta)

As we said above, because there’s no obvious cause for this issue it’s tough for us to recommend what you can do to avoid it. The main piece of advice we can give is not to update to v62 if you haven’t already.

If you've already updated to v62, based on what we've seen on the community thread we’d suggest only using the official Meta Quest 3 charging cable with your headset, as some people have suggested that third-party cables have been a cause of their problems. We’d also recommend using for headset for standalone experiences rather than wired ones to avoid setting off the popup.

If the popup is appearing for you, however, then there doesn’t appear to be much you can do beyond trying to push through it. We’ve seen some people say it only appears when their headset is 80-100% charged – so you might have success if you don't fully recharge your Quest 3 between sessions – and some people have said rebooting their device caused it to go away (though others have said it had zero effect).

Unfortunately, these are the best solutions we can come up with until Meta releases a proper update, so hopefully one isn’t too far away – although given the vagueness of the timeline Meta has offered, who knows how long we'll be waiting.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

March 18, 2024
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We're expecting a Samsung XR/VR headset in the near future – that's extended reality and/or virtual reality – and a new leak gives us a better idea of the display specs the hardware device might bring along with it.

According to Daily Korea (via SamMobile), the headset will use a micro-OLED display supplied by Sony, with a size of 1.3 inches, a resolution of 3,840 x 3,552 pixels, a refresh rate of 90 frames per second, and a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits.

For comparison, the Meta Quest 3 headset launched last year offers a resolution of 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye, an experimental 120Hz refresh rate mode, and a 90Hz standard refresh rate mode. The size of the displays isn't specified, but they use LCD technology, and you can read our thoughts on it in our Meta Quest 3 review.

As for the Apple Vision Pro, inside that particular device we've got micro-OLED tech. Apple doesn't specify a resolution, but does say there are 23 million pixels across both displays, and the refresh rate goes up to 100Hz. As our Apple Vision Pro review will tell you, it offers rather impressive visual performance.

Coming soon?

Samsung announced it was working on an XR headset all the way back at the start of 2023, with Google and Qualcomm helping out. It's yet to see the light of day though – there have been rumors that the launch of the Vision Pro gave Samsung executives enough food for thought that they decided to take more time over their own device.

Extended reality or XR, if you're unfamiliar, is the catch-all term for virtual reality (entirely enclosed virtual worlds), augmented reality (digital elements laid on top of the real world), and mixed reality (digital elements and the real world interacting in more realistic ways, like an upgraded augmented reality).

So far we've seen a battery leak, got confirmation that the Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 chipset will power the device, and… that's been about it for specs and features. There've been more leaks regarding a launch, which could happen in the second half of the year,

Specifically, that might mean July. Samsung held an Unpacked launch event in July 2023, and is expected to do the same this year, giving full unveilings to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the Galaxy Watch 7, the Galaxy Ring, and probably more besides.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

February 27, 2024
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Meta Quest Pro 2 rumored for 2025 release
LG expected to make OLED displays for it
OLED could provide visual boost next Quest Pros need

The Apple Vision Pro might be the talk of the town in the high-end VR space right now, but not only will it have to contend with rivals like the Samsung XR headset that are expected to launch later this year, new reports claim the Meta Quest Pro 2 will launch in early 2025 to compete with it too.

The original Meta Quest Pro was something of a disappointment. At the time it seemed like a decent option for people looking for a high-end standalone VR headset – especially compared to rivals like the HTC Vive XR Elite. But since the launch of the Meta Quest 3 and Vision Pro – the former of which is not only cheaper but actually has some better specs in the mixed-reality department – it’s fallen by the wayside.

Meta is clearly hoping to make its next Quest Pro device a standout VR gadget. A Korea Economic Daily report (translated from Korean) cites unnamed industry sources who said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to meet with the CEO of LG Electronics to discuss a partnership for its next Pro devices.

LG OLED coming to Quest?

It’s been rumored for some time that LG is looking to make an XR device of some kind – either its own or one in partnership with another brand like the collaborative Google and Samsung XR headset – and back in February 2023 we first heard whispers Meta wanted LG to create OLED displays for its headsets.

While we hope these high-end screens will make their way to the more budget-friendly Quest line it’s more reasonable to assume that a pricier Quest Pro line would be upgraded to LG OLEDs first.

A woman sat in front of an LG C3 OLED TV in a blue living room — LG makes fantastic OLED TVs like the LG C3 (Image credit: LG)

Yes, we know the original Oculus Quest got there first, but since then Meta has relied on LCD panels with better brightness and resolution because the original OLED Quest couldn’t benefit from this display tech’s full advantages. The pixels took too long to turn on and off so you could never experience true blacks, despite the ability to achieve true blacks being the main reason to use an OLED.

LG’s next-gen panels hopefully should be able to offer top-of-the-line visuals – one of the four things we want to see from the Meta Quest Pro 2 – but we’ll have to wait and see.

Thankfully, the recent Korea Economic Daily report said we might not be waiting too long. The Meta Quest Pro 2 is apparently being prepared for an early 2025 launch, and while this is a slight departure from Meta’s usual October release strategy it makes some sense.

However, as with all rumors, we must remember to take these reports with a pinch of salt. Until Meta or LG make an official announcement there's no guarantee they’re working together on the next Quest Pro or any kind of headset – nor a guarantee of when it’ll launch and what specs it might have.

As soon as we do hear anything more concrete, or we spy any interesting leaks and rumors, we’ll be sure to keep you informed.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

February 16, 2024
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We might not have heard much about it since it was announced in February 2023, but Samsung is apparently still working on the Samsung XR headset (XR being a catchall for VR, MR, and AR), and a new rumor suggests we’ll see it this year.

We know for certain that the Samsung headset is being made in partnership with Google – Samsung has said as much itself – and we know the device will use the Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 chipset according to a Qualcomm announcement, but that’s about it from official channels. Unofficial reports peg the headset as a cheaper Apple Vision Pro rival with high-end performance but a not-so-high-end price tag – with a rumor saying Samsung delayed the headset to help it stand up better against Apple’s device.

This not only means a solid performance but also high-end displays, with it believed the headset will boast dual OLED screens (one for each eye) likely similar to the 1.03-inch OLEDoS display (OLED on Silicon) – with a 3,500 pixel-per-inch pixel density – it showed off earlier this year.

That said these screens were created by eMagin rather than the Samsung Display team, and Samsung only acquired this company fairly recently so there’s a chance these displays will be reserved for a later headset model (assuming we even see more than one).

Key Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 specs, including that it has support fo 4.3k displays, 8x better AI performance, and 2.5x better GPU performance — The Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 promises big thing for the Samsung headset (Image credit: Qualcomm)

But given the headset was apparently delayed to give the team more time to improve its screens, there’s a chance these impressive OLED panels could make their way into the headset. We hopefully won’t be waiting long to find out if they have. A new report (translated into English) from Korean Economic Daily (nicknamed Hankyung) suggests the Samsung XR headset will drop in the second half of the year.

We should always take rumors with a pinch of salt but this isn’t the first time we’ve heard the Samsung headset will launch in late 2024 – with it previously being suggested that the Samsung VR headset might arrive alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 6 which is also due to launch in the second half of 2024.

If it is coming this year, let's hope Samsung has had enough time to learn from its rivals' mistakes. Mark Zuckerberg might think the Meta Quest 3 is better than the Vision Pro but it has some issues of its own, and the Vision Pro isn’t perfect either according to all the people sending it back to Apple for a refund.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

February 6, 2024
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There are a few big features that the Apple Vision Pro is missing – such as support for Bluetooth mice and location tracking for the Apple Find My network – but perhaps the strangest omission from the Apple Vision Pro is the ability to reset your device if you forget your passcode.

During the Vision Pro set-up process you’ll be asked to enter a six-digit passcode, just as you would when setting up an iPhone or iPad. You can also optionally set up an Optic ID login method, but just as with Face ID on your other Apple gadgets there will be times when you’ll be forced to enter your passcode – for example after your headset has restarted.

If you ever forget your iPad or iPhone passcode you can unlock your Apple device by connecting it to your Mac or PC and wiping the data on it, and on the Apple Watch you can use the digital crown or your connected iPhone to do the same thing. Yes you’ll delete all the data, but a blank gadget is better than a gadget you’re forever locked out of.

However, while the Apple Vision Pro also has a setting that allows you to erase all your content – including the passcode – it’s only accessible via the Settings app. If you're locked out of your headset because you’ve forgotten your passcode there’s currently no at-home way to get into your Vision Pro.

Instead, as reported by Bloomberg ($ /£), you’ll need to either take your headset back to your local Apple Store, or ship it back to Apple to have it reset if there isn’t a physical store near you.

Apple Vision Pro battery pack — Locked out? Send it back to Apple, or say hello to your new paperweight (Image credit: Apple)

Is there a workaround?

Unfortunately, the only workaround to this problem available to most people is to not forget your passcode in the first place.

We’ve seen reports that users with the Developer Strap – a dongle that adds a USB-C port to the Vision Pro so that it can be connected to a Mac computer – could erase the Vision Pro’s content and passcode using a Mac. However, the Developer Strap costs $ 300 and is only available to officially registered developers, so most people won’t have access to it – and we’ve not been able to confirm that this method works, so there’s a chance the dongle wouldn’t even help you if you had one.

We expect that Apple will launch some kind of alternative way to erase your Vision Pro passcode in due course, especially once the gadget is made available outside the US, and sending your headset back becomes even more inconvenient for some. But for now you might want to make a note of your passcode, taking the usual precautions to ensure that this is secure.

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TechRadar – All the latest technology news

January 30, 2024
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The first batch of Apple Vision Pro reviews has dropped, giving us a look at what it’s like to use the headset beyond the 20 to 30-minute demos Apple has run for it previously.

The Vision Pro preorders aren’t set to arrive for weeks after the headset releases on February 2 – and we strongly advise you not to buy one of the preorders being sold on eBay for ridiculously high markups. But if you’ve been on the fence about buying Apple's mixed reality device, now is a good time to find out more about it and decide if it’s worth the $ 3,500 asking price.

Interestingly, a lot of the reviewers seem to be in agreement so far. The capabilities of the headset are apparently superb, with 3D spatial video and the intuitive eye and face-tracking control system being standouts. But the price does feel steep, especially as the Vision Pro is only at its best if you’re already deep in the Apple ecosystem with gadgets and peripherals like a Mac, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Mouse.

Here’s our round-up of all of the full Apple Vision Pro reviews published so far.

Apple Vision Pro reviews

Tom's Guide: “A revolution in progress”

For Mark Spoonauer, the global editor-in-chief of our sister site Tom's Guide, the standout features of the Vision Pro are its eye and hand-tracking interface – which he called “amazing” – and the 3D spatial video playback, which our own Lance Ulanoff called an “immersive trip”.

Design-wise the Vision Pro was also solid, though Spoonauer noted that he had to take regular breaks from wearing the device because of the Vision Pro’s weight. The tethered battery that powers the Vision Pro could also be “annoying at times.”

Some of the software also feels like it's “still in the early stages,” with the App Store missing several notable apps at launch, and Personas (a digital stand-in for Vision Pro wearers) are “a bit unnerving to look at.”

He added that the expensive price limits the headset's initial appeal, though Spoonauer hopes Apple has a lower-cost version on the way as the Vision Pro is “the most innovative Apple product since the original iPhone.”

In a nutshell

The Good

Eye and face-tracking “puts the competition to shame”
It’s a “multitasking champ”
Immersive environments full of detail

The Bad

Had to take periodic breaks because of the weight
Very expensive
Tethered battery is “annoying” at times

WSJ: “All the characteristics of a first-gen product”

The Wall Street Journal's review is a very real-world summary of the Vision Pro's current strengths and weaknesses, with reporter Joanna Stern wearing it “nearly nonstop” for one of the testing days.

The main takeaway is that the Vision Pro is a very first-gen product that “you’re probably not going to buy”. As the review concludes, “it’s big and heavy, its battery life sucks, there are few great apps and it can be buggy”.

Okay, so is it actually good at anything yet? Broadly speaking, feeling very sci-fi in a Minority Report sense and also being, as Stern states, “the best mixed-reality headset I’ve ever tried”. That seems to be broadly due to experiences like watching films and or your own home 3-D movies, rather than real-world productivity.

Stern states in the review that she only “started getting real work done once I paired the Vision Pro with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse”, rather than using the built-in virtual keyboard. In other words, it feels more like a face-mounted iMac than a next-gen computer right now.

While “getting around is intuitive”, there are lots of niggles. For example, “at times, the Vision Pro’s eye tracking didn’t respond to my movements” and Stern had to “charge every two to three hours”. During FaceTime calls, friends and family concluded that the reporter looked “awful” and “frightening”. Like all mixed-reality headsets then, the Vision Pro is very much a work in progress.

In a nutshell

The Good

Best AR/VR headset so far
Intuitive interface
Great built-in speakers

The Bad

Headset is heavy
Virtual keyboard is limited
Few great apps

The Verge: “the best consumer headset anyone’s ever made”

The Verge’s editor-in-chief Nilay Patel gave the Apple Vision Pro a score of seven out of 10 in its review, calling it “an astounding product” with “a lot of tradeoffs”

App-wise, Patel says it’s “not totally wrong” to call the Vision Pro an iPad for your face. Most of the software that’s currently available are ported over from iPadOS, and most of them work like iPad apps, too. As Patel notes this means the Vision Pro is lacking when it comes to “true AR” software – that is software that has AR elements blend in and interact with the real world like, say, First Encounters on the Meta Quest 3.

Patel adds that the “iPad for your face” comparison continues to the weight of the thing – pointing out that at 600 to 650 grams it's not far from the weight of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (at 682 grams). Wearing the dual loop strap can help, but he says you can’t “reduce the overall sensation of having all that headset on your face.”

The heavy package does come with some impressive specs, however, with an “incredible display,” “convincing” video passthrough, and an M2 and R1 processor for handling any apps you throw at it. But at the end of the day, Patel doesn’t believe that using a computer in the “inherently isolating” world of VR is better than using a regular computer that doesn’t cut you off from the world around you.

In a nutshell

The Good

Fantastic display
Best passthrough on a headset
“Stunning” design

The Bad

Isolating
Tracking “works until it doesn’t”
A lot of tradeoffs

CNET: “A mind-blowing look at an unfinished future”

CNET's lengthy Vision Pro review is one of the more misty-eyed ones so far, which isn't surprising given reporter Scott Stein has been writing about mixed reality for over a decade. The conclusions about Apple's headset are familiar though; “parts of it are stunning, others don't feel entirely finished”.

Despite its many impressive moments, CNET concludes that the Vision Pro is “clearly not a device you need to get on board with now”. After only 30 minutes, “the headset feels top-heavy and pushes in on my cheeks a bit”, although it apparently works fine for short sessions.

The apps selection is also very limited right now. While “the App Store shows Vision Pro-optimized apps” the “pickings are slim”. Still, “the closest thing to a killer app the Vision Pro has is its cinema-level video playback” the review concludes. Stein says that The Way of Water looks lovely and “sometimes gives me chills”.

While the Vision Pro is “most advanced blend of mixed reality in a standalone device that I've ever experienced”, it's also blighted by the limitations highlighted by other reviews. These include some inconsistent hand- and eye-tracking, a “limited battery life” and a field of view that “feels a bit smaller than the Meta Quest 3”.

So while the Vision Pro is a “stunning look at the future”, it's also “still essentially an iOS computer inside a mixed reality VR headset”.

In a nutshell

The Good

Amazing micro-OLED display
Blends real and virtual well
Personal 3D memories

The Bad

Not many apps
Interface isn't always perfect
Extremely pricey

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

January 25, 2024
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Apple describes the Vision Pro as a “spatial computing” device, but right now it's arguably as much a pair of cinema goggles that can play 3D movies. That billing has been undermined by the absence of a few apps from streaming's big players – and Netflix has just explained why it's steering clear of the headset, for now.

In an interview with Stratechery (via The Verge), Netflix's co-CEO Greg Peters revealed why Netflix hasn't made a native app (or even made its iPad app available) for the Vision Pro. In a completely fair yet somehow slightly withering observation, he states that the Vision Pro “is so subscale that it's not particularly relevant to most of our members”.

Peters adds that Netflix has to make sure “that we’re not investing in places that are not really yielding a return”, but that “we’re always in discussions with Apple to try and figure that out”. In other words, Netflix isn't ruling out making an app for the Vision Pro in the future, but only when Apple's headset becomes a lot more mainstream.

That could be some way off. Early estimates suggest the Vision Pro's first weekend sales were around 180,000 units, with demand likely to taper off significantly. When you consider that Netflix now has 260 million subscribers worldwide – helpfully bolstered by the success of its ad-supported tier – you can see why it might be taking a watch-and-wait approach.

Yet Netflix's conservative approach to the Vision Pro also reflects some historically frosty relations with Apple. Netflix hasn't let you sign up to its app through Apple TV for many years to avoid Apple taking a cut of the revenue. And Netflix also still hasn't fully integrated with the TV app on Apple's streaming box, which lets you see content from all of your streaming services in a single carousel.

Whether it'll be a similar story for Netflix on the Apple Vision Pro remains to be seen, but for now, the mixed-reality headset will be missing the world's biggest TV streaming app, alongside Spotify and YouTube.

A sensible move or a snub?

The Disney app running on the Apple Vision Pro — (Image credit: Apple)

Right now, the Vision Pro is arguably a very expensive developer kit that's also available to buy in limited quantities – so Netflix's stance is completely understandable.

Greg Peters does add that Netflix and Apple are in regular contact, stating that “we’re always in discussions with Apple” and that “we’ll see where things go with Vision Pro”.

That's far from a closed door – and yet Netflix hasn't even allowed its iPad app to run on Apple's headset. You can watch Netflix on a web browser on the Vision Pro, but that's hardly a premium experience.

Daring Fireball's Jon Gruber even recently suggested that a Netflix iPad app for Vision Pro did exist, but that the streaming giant had a change of heart – and that the decision was made out of “pure corporate spite”, rather than anything technical.

Whatever the reality behind Netflix not even offering its iPad app on the Vision Pro, Apple certainly has its work cut out to convince some of the world's biggest apps to join its $ 3,499 “spatial computing” party. It's rubbing many developers the wrong way with its potential approach to sideloading on the iPhone, and we'll likely need to wait until at least the Vision Pro 2 before it gets close to being mainstream.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

January 24, 2024
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Not many people have been in the same room as an Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset, let alone touched and worn the thing. But if you're itching to get close before the February 2 launch day, Apple has the next best thing on its Apple Store App.

People often forget that Apple does some of the best AR in the business, including some wicked occlusion capabilities that let virtual objects block the view of real ones that sit or move behind them – and Apple's AR rendering of its Apple Vision Pro is right up there with its best work.

If you're not already familiar with the mixed reality set that everyone is talking about, Apple's Vision Pro is the tech giant's first attempt at an AR/VR-capable headset. Apple calls the entire experience Spatial Computing. I've worn it four times now, and I've experienced movies, interactive AR experiences, incredible panoramic photography, and almost wept through realistic spatial video; and I've done most of it with little more than my gaze and subtle gestures.

It's a wildly expensive product, starting at $ 3,499, but that hasn't dampened interest (it reportedly sold out on pre-order and is a hot item on eBay), so it makes sense for Apple to give us this AR taste.

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Apple Vision Pro in AR — (Image credit: Apple)

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To find it, you'll need to open the Apple Store App on your best iPhone or best iPad. In it, look for the Vision Pro, select it, and then scroll until you see 'View in your space'. Tap this, and then point your phone's camera at a flat surface like your desk or kitchen table. Keep the phone still for a moment, and after Apple finishes analyzing the 3D contours of the space, a translucent Vision Pro headset will appear. Tap it to drop it onto the table. After that, you can use one finger to move the AR Vision Pro around, and two fingers to rotate it. You can also resize it with two fingers, but then it won't be represented at full scale (it's easy to snap it back to 100%).

You can also move your phone around the rendering to see the headset from all sides, and even get close and peer into the dual, 4K microLED displays, which appear to be showing some sort of landscape. It's an opportunity to get an up-close look at the features, materials like the recycled yarn woven band, the aluminum spatial photography button, and the digital crown.

There's even a MagSafe-style power adapter attached to one side with a woven USB-C cable running off of the Vision Pro, but instead of running to a nearby battery, the cable disappears at the edge of the woven band. There's also no option to depict the Vision Pro with the Dual Loop Band that will also ship with the headset; I think that's a shame, since I bet that's how many people will end up wearing the Vision Pro.

Ultimately, this is a chance to see what the Vision Pro will look like in your real world; however, one thing this AR experience can't do is replicate the feeling of all that money leaving your wallet.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

January 19, 2024
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Pre-orders for Apple’s Vision Pro have officially opened, and with it, the company has released information on how much it’ll cost to repair the headset.

Be prepared to shell a ton out of pocket because prices are astronomical if you don’t have an AppleCare Plus insurance plan. According to the official support page, repairs fall under two categories: “Cracked Cover Glass” and “Other Damage”. The former will have an estimated cost of $ 799 while the latter will run you a whopping $ 2,399. As AppleInsider points out, that’s about “70 percent of the price of a new [unit].” Keep in mind that the price tags listed here don’t include shipping or taxes so expect them to be even higher. Additionally, Apple will not fix the cover glass even if the damage was done accidentally. It appears the only damage they'll repair for uninsured owners is manufacturing defects.

Batteries can be serviced too but Apple doesn’t say how much it’ll cost. The only thing they say is that a technician will fix it “for a fee”. Also, it won’t replace a battery worn down from normal use as that type of degradation is not covered by the warranty.

Hope you have insurance

If you have AppleCare Plus for the Vision Pro, costs go down considerably, hardware coverage expands, and you’ll be given access to company experts.

Instead of paying $ 800 for glass repair, insured users will only have to pay $ 300. This covers accidental damage, as well. The same goes for other types of damages. Rather than paying a $ 2,400 bill, the price will drop down to $ 300. Battery service is considerably better under AppleCare Plus. Replacing the power supply will be free, but the battery must hold “less than 80 percent of its original capacity” otherwise the company will refuse.

As for the expanded hardware coverage, authorized technicians will repair accidental damage done to the headset an unlimited number of times, however, it will cost you $ 300 each time. What’s more, technicians will fix damaged accessories like the charging cable for an extra $ 30.

When it comes to the aforementioned experts, they will help you address any issues with the device's software. They’ll answer questions you may have on navigating visionOS, how to connect to Wi-Fi, and help you resolve issues relating to first-party apps.

Expensive endeavor

AppleCare Plus for the Vision Pro is available as two separate plans: monthly and fixed term. The monthly plan costs you $ 24.99 while the fixed option will run you $ 499 for two whole years. If you plan on getting insurance, you can buy it with the headset at checkout or within 60 days after purchasing it online. So, there is a weird time limit to getting AppleCare Plus, but considering you may be looking at a $ 2,400 bill without insurance, you may be better off opting for it.

The Vision Pro is proving itself to be an expensive endeavor; not just because of repairs, but also due to the multitude of accessories. Extra batteries cost $ 200, travel cases are another $ 200, Zeiss Optical lens inserts start at $ 99, and the list goes on. A holder for the battery made entirely out of plastic is $ 50. Interested customers will need to make sure their wallets can handle such an investment or buckle under it.

If you’re looking for a cheaper VR headset, check out TechRadar’s list of the best VR headset deals for January 2024.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

January 19, 2024
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Although excitement is building for the release of the Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset (pre-orders are now live), potential users will have to do without not just YouTube or Spotify, but Netflix as well. While Disney Plus and Apple TV Plus (obviously) are guaranteed to be available right out of the box, we do have to question if you’ll be able to take advantage of the headset's cinematic qualities without these three media giants.

While some streaming competitors are rushing to embrace the Apple Vision Pro (including Peacock, ESPN, and Paramount Plus), Netflix and YouTube seem to be playing the waiting game, and when the headset launches Apple Vision Pro users will have to access their respective services through the Safari browser (which has it's own Vision Pro version) rather than via dedicated apps. According to a report from Bloomberg, Netflix is the latest to confirm that it won’t be offering a visionOS app.

YouTube in particular is quite the omission considering that it is probably the best place to find immersive content, especially videos tailored to the VR experience capabilities of the Vision Pro. The videos available on the platform may not be as refined and curated as the content you can find on Netflix or Disney Plus, but it’s a media platform used by many people almost daily and leaves the headset feeling somewhat empty without it – more so now that Netflix is joining in abstaining from visionOS.

All work and no play?

It’s a troubling start for Apple’s big foray into mixed reality. After all, if you’re sitting down to use a headset that cost you $ 3,499 but you have to pull up Safari and start typing away on your connected MacBook just to watch a video or an episode of your favourite Netflix show, is it really worth the money? Using Safari is a clunky workaround at best.

There are almost certainly multiple factors at play behind the scenes here. Netflix and Apple do have a rather strained relationship at the best of times. Netflix has historically had issues with Apple’s App Store revenue sharing, with this contention definitely not helped by the arrival of Apple TV. Another likely reason we aren’t seeing Netflix jump at the opportunity to produce a visionOS app is simply that it has little faith in Apple’s headset.

In fact, you could argue that the streaming service has so little faith in the Vision Pro that it’s not even willing to modify a version of the Netflix iPadOS app to work on the new platform (not unlike how Instagram on iPadOS is just a scaled-up version of the iOS app). Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify are likely waiting to see how the headset is received before they any dedicate time and money to developing apps for it. As someone who’s been skeptical of the headset since it was announced, I can’t help but feel more than a little vindicated by this – it’s not just me observing from the sidelines with very little confidence in Apple’s big plans.

I mean, the Nintendo Switch came out in 2017 and that has a dedicated YouTube app (the Nintendo 3DS had one as well!) so if a nearly seven-year-old console can have a dedicated app for the world’s biggest video-streaming platform but this futuristic headset can’t, that really doesn’t look good for Apple.

Ultimately, we can only speculate as to why exactly these big media companies are so hesitant, but one reason may be the way the headset has been marketed. Apple has from the jump advertised the Vision Pro as this incredibly immersive media experience device that will put you right in the middle of the action, but the fact that it’s called a Vision Pro – and the sky-high price tag – does give off the impression it's more for enterprise users. Could this case of confused identity be the reason behind this very visible display of hesitancy?

As of yet, there’s no sign of when, if ever, we could expect a dedicated visionOS app to come from Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify. It’s likely we’ll have to wait and see how well the Vision Pro sells when it launches to have an idea of whether or not we actually will get these apps – if it does prove successful, they won’t have a choice but to commit.

If this hasn’t completely dampened your excitement for the Apple Vision Pro, there’s still quite a lot to look forward to regardless. While it’s mostly still on the more business-focused side of things, we now have a clear list of apps confirmed for the Vision Pro – including Slack, Display Plus, Zoom, Microsoft 365, Safari, and many more to come. And after all, if it truly is meant to be an enterprise device, would it even need a Netflix app?

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