The braided headband that goes around the back of the head has a fit adjustment dial, but the one headband may not be comfortable or secure enough for some users, especially if the device is going to be worn for extended periods of time, which is where the secondary over-the-head strap comes in.

But Apple has apparently not yet fine-tuned the secondary head strap. According to a new report by Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, the secondary strap was introduced after testing determined that some people with smaller body sizes and heads struggle to wear the headset for more than half an hour or thereabouts. However, the design of the strap has “yet to be finalized,” says Gurman.

One member of the press who got to try the headset in person at Apple Park was MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera. “A lot of people probably didn’t know this just by looking at some press images, but there is another band that goes over the top of your head,” said Dan in his initial impressions video.

In his opinion, with the additional strap attached, the Vision Pro is “not that far off from other headsets in terms of weight,” but it does “a really good job of dispersing that weight” and making it not so front-heavy. “I do think most people will want to use it,” he added.

Apple has not revealed the weight of the Vision Pro, but Apple’s decision to offload the battery to an external pack highlights the need to keep the headset as light as possible. Apple is also apparently aware that some customers may not wear clothes with pockets capable of storing the battery pack, so it is considering asking accessory makers to create shoulder-worn pouches.

Other accessories could eventually be sold to protect the device, according to Gurman:

The company has found that the front of the headset could be prone to scratches, but it will likely outsource screen protectors to third-party makers as it does with its other products. Another concern: the front glass cracking if a user walks into a wall or an object. To help prevent such incidents, Apple has built in alerts to deter people from wearing the device while walking at certain speeds.

Gurman’s latest report also reveals that Apple plans to launch the Vision Pro headset in the U.K. and Canada by the end of 2024, with preparations for the device’s complex retail launch in the U.S. early next year already at an advanced stage.

This article, "Apple Vision Pro Secondary Head Strap Design 'Yet to Be Finalized'" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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There aren’t many cases of another company charging more than Apple for a similar product, but the Varjo XR-3 mixed-reality headset is a rare example.

Not having been one of the chosen few to be invited to try Vision Pro (was it something I said?), I took advantage of an invitation to try what Varjo believes is the most advanced mixed-reality device available. In particular, I wanted to see whether it could change my view of the tech as something which doesn’t yet justify the steep price-tag when it comes to my own needs …

more…

The post Apple Vision diary: Trying the $6500 Varjo XR-3, to get a better sense of Vision Pro appeared first on 9to5Mac.

There aren’t many cases of another company charging more than Apple for a similar product, but the Varjo XR-3 mixed-reality headset is a rare example.

Not having been one of the chosen few to be invited to try Vision Pro (was it something I said?), I took advantage of an invitation to try what Varjo believes is the most advanced mixed-reality device available. In particular, I wanted to see whether it could change my view of the tech as something which doesn’t yet justify the steep price-tag when it comes to my own needs …

more…

The post Apple Vision diary: Trying the $6500 Varjo XR-3, to get a better sense of Vision Pro appeared first on 9to5Mac.

There aren’t many cases of another company charging more than Apple for a similar product, but the Varjo XR-3 mixed-reality headset is a rare example.

Not having been one of the chosen few to be invited to try Vision Pro (was it something I said?), I took advantage of an invitation to try what Varjo believes is the most advanced mixed-reality device available. In particular, I wanted to see whether it could change my view of the tech as something that doesn’t yet justify the steep price-tag when it comes to my own needs …

more…

The post Apple Vision diary: Trying the $6,500 Varjo XR-3, to get a better sense of Vision Pro appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Dan is one of the lucky individuals who has had a chance to try out Vision Pro, so we discuss his personal experience with the device. We talk through the headset’s comfort, external battery pack, eye-tracking, and input mechanisms, as well as its price point, and whether it can replace any existing Apple devices.

• Video: Trying the Apple Vision Pro Headset

We reflect on Vision Pro’s eye tracking technology and what sort of trajectory the product line is likely to follow. We also touch on whether the 15-inch MacBook Air has lived up to expectations now that users have got their hands on it.

Listen to The MacRumors Show in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. Watch a video version of the show on the MacRumors YouTube channel.

If you haven’t already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, listen to our discussion with Andru Edwards and Kevin Nether from the Apple Podcasts studio in Apple Park to discuss first impressions of the Vision Pro headset and the wave of other announcements the company made at WWDC this year.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Mark Gurman, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Sara Dietschy, Luke Miani, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, and Rene Ritchie. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover in the future.

This article, "The MacRumors Show: Vision Pro Deep Dive Following Our WWDC Demo" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Benjamin and Chance talk all things Apple Vision Pro, from hardware design to its features to its real-world appeal. We also walk through Chance’s impressions of his hands-on demo experience at WWDC last week. Plus, Apple just dropped a trio of new M2 Macs, including very the compelling 15-inch MacBook Air.

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The post 9to5Mac Happy Hour 438: Hands-on impressions and thoughts on Apple Vision Pro design and features appeared first on 9to5Mac.

I had the chance to try Apple’s new Vision Pro spatial computer at WWDC last week, and I quickly published my first impressions that same day. Over the past week, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on the experience and read first impressions from a number of other sources.

How have my thoughts changed? Not really… and I think that says a lot about just how impressive Vision Pro is.

more…

The post More thoughts on Apple Vision Pro, one week after my hands-on demo appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Yeah, it is somewhat crazy to start an Apple Vision Diary when the first-gen model isn’t set to go on sale until next year, and I currently don’t expect to buy until the third-gen, and I’m saying I think that could be four years away. But here we are (and I kind of already did).

Let’s start by looking at the timings of Vision Pro going on sale – both theory, and potential practice …

more…

The post Apple Vision Diary: This is looking like it could be a 2027 purchase appeared first on 9to5Mac.

The on-stage interview took place on Wednesday at the California Theatre in San Jose, California, and runs for approximately two hours.

Check out our WWDC 2023 recap for more details about Apple’s announcements, and be sure to listen to our special edition of The MacRumors Show podcast recorded at Apple Park. We were also able to test the Vision Pro and shared our first impressions.

This article, "The Talk Show Live From WWDC 2023 With Craig Federighi and Others Now Available on YouTube" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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(via Cult of Mac – Tech and culture through an Apple lens)