Vision Pro: What we got wrong at Oculus that Apple got right

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Device positioning and price

  • Many see Vision Pro (AVP) as an over‑engineered “devkit” or beta: technically impressive, not yet a mass‑market product.
  • High price is debated: some argue even wealthy buyers “can’t justify” $3.5–4k for a “tech toy”; others say frugality and applying a “normal consumer” lens is deliberate.
  • Some think Apple is intentionally seeding the market, expecting cheaper, lighter versions; others note we’ve said this about VR for a decade.

Hardware, comfort, and UX

  • Hardware is widely praised: very high‑res displays, excellent passthrough for a consumer device, strong spatial audio.
  • Still has classic VR problems: heavy, front‑loaded weight, face pressure, warmth, limited field of view, motion blur in passthrough, and eye strain for some.
  • Gaze‑and‑pinch input is called a major UI breakthrough by some; others find it fatiguing, imprecise, and bad for fast/multitasking work, preferring controllers or mouse/keyboard.

Software, platform, and Meta comparisons

  • Strong consensus that Meta’s Quest software feels janky, fragmented, and game‑console‑like (store‑first, weak productivity, messy account flow).
  • Several argue Apple’s real advantage is a coherent spatial OS that integrates 3D windows, ARKit, Mac/iPad apps, and system‑level gaze/hand tracking, vs Meta’s “app launcher on Android + Unity/Unreal”.
  • Others counter that without a large installed base and must‑have apps, the platform advantage may not matter; devs may focus on Quest due to volume and looser policies.

Use cases and “killer apps”

  • Many say VR/AR still lacks a compelling everyday use; novelty wears off. Common current uses:
    • Gaming (Beat Saber, Superhot, Half‑Life: Alyx, sims).
    • Exercise (rhythm and boxing apps).
    • Large virtual monitors for coding/knowledge work; a minority report working many hours/day in AVP and preferring it to physical displays.
    • Media: solo movie watching, 3D/immersive video, live sports potential; co‑presence watching is seen as technically easy but socially unproven.
    • Porn is mentioned as historically important for formats; VR porn today seen as a niche novelty, not a mass driver.

Social, privacy, and cultural issues

  • Many dislike the idea of blocking their main sense and being further isolated; AR glasses or HUD‑style overlays seem more acceptable than big goggles.
  • Some note norms have already shifted (phones, earbuds) and might shift again for AR.
  • Meta/Facebook distrust is a recurring reason to avoid Quest; Apple is seen as better on privacy but criticized for lock‑in and control.
  • Strong skepticism remains that VR/AR will reach iPhone‑ or internet‑scale impact; others argue AVP is the “North Star” that will accelerate the entire category.