Journalists Apple invited to New York for more Vision Pro hands-on time are not impressed with the in-air typing feature on the virtual keyboard.
Some also complained about the device feeling a bit heavy on their head, with some feeling the weight even before their 20-minute hands-on demo ended.
Other than that, journalists invited to try Vision Pro praised the visionOS software and headset hardware, especially the precise eye tracking and hand gestures.
Apple gives journalists more hands-on time with Vision Pro
Check out these Vision Pro hands-on impressions:
This is the second time the company has allowed journalists to try the headset ahead of its arrival. On both occasions, journalists reported that their experience with the device was highly controlled, with some features unavailable or restricted.
Had my 4th demo of the Vision Pro this AM and Apple finally let us take a photo with it on.
My first three demos (1 in June, 1 in November, 1 in December) were all with the Solo Knit Band and I really felt the weight of the face computer on my face.
Today I tried the Dual… pic.twitter.com/DjyYknyme3
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) January 16, 2024
Apple will start accepting pre-orders for the $3500 AR/VR accessory this Friday, with it shipping and landing on store shelves on February 2.
Dual Loop Band helps with weight distribution
All testers were in pain after wearing Vision Pro for about 20 minutes due to the device’s weight. Swapping the default Solo Knit band for a Dual Loop one makes a difference as journalists felt more comfortable wearing the device on their face.
The Dual Loop band has one strap wrapping around the back of your head and another across the top. Thankfully, Apple includes both bands in the Vision Pro box.
The Verge’s Victoria Song only commented that the headset will “wreck your hairdo.” Nilay Patel, The Verge’s editor-in-chief, also commented on the weight issue after his hands-on time with Vision Pro at the WWDC back in June 2023.
“By the end of my demo, I started to feel the weight of the headset brings me back to the real world,” he wrote. Could this be why Apple restricted Vision Pro hands-on to 20 minutes of demo time?
The floating keyboard a “complete write-off”
While some reviewers didn’t find the virtual keyboard as frustrating as others, the general consensus is that a physical keyboard is required to do any serious typing on Apple’s face computer. The above journalists aren’t the only ones panning the virtual keyboard in visionOS.
It was almost a year ago that Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said air typing on Vision Pro was “finicky.” He reiterated his stance recently, suggesting the virtual keyboard in visionOS doesn’t work well for extended use due to hand fatigue.
The Vision Pro virtual keyboard is a complete write-off at least in 1.0. You have to poke each key one finger at a time like you did before you learned how to type. There is no magical in-air typing. You can also look at a character and pinch. You’ll want a Bluetooth keyboard.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) January 12, 2024
“The Vision Pro virtual keyboard is a complete write-off at least in 1.0,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “You have to poke each key one finger at a time like you did before you learned how to type. There is no magical in-air typing. You can also look at a character and pinch. You’ll want a Bluetooth keyboard.”
The virtual keys are raised above the platter, which may confuse some people. To compensate for the missing tactile information, the virtual keyboard in visionOS uses spatial sound effects for auditory feedback. It looks like the virtual keyboard may not be included at launch because Apple has removed in-air typing scenes from its re-uploaded Vision Pro introduction video.
Good thing visionOS makes it a cinch to use your Mac’s Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad (or any other Bluetooth keyboard or trackpad) to navigate the interface.
At any rate, the world will have to wait until Vision Pro arrives on February 2 for in-depth reviews of the $3500 accessory.