Before dawn Friday, hundreds of Apple fans began lining up outside the company’s flagship store in Manhattan to sample the new Vision Pro virtual reality set. An expensive gadget that they and even the tech giant’s own employees said was likely the only way to get their hands on one.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, who was among the crowds gathered outside the Fifth Avenue store in anticipation of the headset’s public release, cheered that the headset was revolutionary. It was nicknamed “digital fentanyl.”
Donovan Vann, a recent college graduate from Harlem, called the futuristic device’s $3,500 price tag “a huge push and ridiculous.”
“I think it’s a quality product, but I think the price 100% could be lower. I don’t plan on buying this anytime soon,” Van said. “I’m still using iPhone 13.”
Some store employees said they would not buy the headset because of the high price.
One employee explained that he wanted to get a car first, and another joked that he would have to moonlight as a sex worker to save up enough money for Gizmo.
“If you see me messing around on the corner, don’t look,” the Apple staffer said cheekily. “You don’t get it in one paycheck, honey.”
He declined to say how much he earns per month.
A senior Apple Store employee also said he couldn’t afford the headset and also felt it was “a little heavy.”
“Over time, as you go through generations, they will improve. … And they may be cheaper and lighter,” he said.
Faruk Gunes was one of those who wanted to know how the headset would work but had serious reservations about putting such materials into it.
“If I thought it was a good product, I might buy it, but it’s a little too expensive,” said Gunes, a 21-year-old student from Chile.
He noted that the much-talked-about new device is “too heavy” and likely has a short battery life, and said he hopes future versions of the Vision Pro will be better. Analysts expect headset prices to drop to around $1,500 in the future.
Yinjia Wen, a 27-year-old designer from Astoria, Queens, was similarly skeptical about how much sales would increase, although she was excited about the future of VR devices.
“I don’t think Apple’s new products will be mainstream for at least the next five to 10 years,” he said, citing high prices. “A lot of people still need to try it out to see if they want to do it.” [wear] They had computers in their faces. ”
Wen said he would “definitely” get a Vision Pro headset in the future, but not necessarily the headset announced Friday.
“I’m definitely going to get one. This version? I don’t know. But I’m definitely getting one. I don’t care about the price,” he said, adding that “the first-generation product is an investment.” I won’t,” he added.
Apple launched its long-awaited new device in stores across the United States on Friday.
At Apple’s New York City headquarters, Cook chatted with employees, shook hands and took selfies with customers who were first in line to get Apple’s new headset.
Talks with CNBC’s Jim Cramer At the event, Cook tried to justify the eye-watering price tag by praising the Vision Pro as “tomorrow’s technology for today.”
Cook noted that the headset has 5,000 patents and said, “We think we’ve priced it at the right level given its value.”
The company’s CEO, who has an estimated net worth of $1.9 billion, said customers who are short of $3,500 may be able to sign up for a monthly financing plan.
“People can spread out their payments over time, so that’s kind of what makes it affordable,” he said.
However, the high price of the headset is not the only hurdle. Although it weighs 20 ounces, or about the same as a box of butter, the Vision Pro is relatively bulky.
Additionally, those who rely on glasses cannot wear them while using the Vision Pro set and must purchase special Zeiss Optical Inserts, which are made by a third party and have a starting price of $99.
But Felix Ernst, 34, ignored some of the concerns surrounding Apple’s expensive new device as customers scooped up their devices and left the store happy.
“That’s a lot of money, but I think it’s a very unique product,” he told the Post. “There’s nothing I can do with this. I’m happy with my decision. [to buy it]”
Ernst, who works in the technology industry, was thrilled to be able to record his daughter’s home videos on his iPhone and watch them in 3D on the Vision Pro headset.
“I felt like she was right in front of me. It’s really amazing,” he said while sitting in the Apple Store playing with his new toys. “can’t believe it.”
Questions have been raised about whether VR devices are suitable not only for children but also for those already immersed in technology.
“Apple can create any experience you want, and no matter what experience it is, only you can experience it,” said Mark Hirst, CEO of online strategy consulting firm Creative Good, who is working on the new VR. he told Vanity Fair, referring to the headset.
He calls wearable technology products “isolation devices,” describing them as “face-hugging aliens strapped to your face,” where headsets place users in a digital reality that, in a real-life environment, separates them from others. separate from those of ”
On Friday, some Apple customers speculated that headset use could be potentially harmful to young people.
“I don’t think it’s a toy.” [for kids]” said Ernst. “I came here very early today, and everyone here was over 30 years old. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but if my daughter was 18 now, she would be too young for this. .”
Although the VR demo at the Apple Store was only open to people 13 and older, there’s technically nothing stopping parents from buying Vision Pro as a gift for their kids.
