Vision Pro's Arrival Echoes Mac's Launch 40 Years Ago

Summary

This week marks the 40th anniversary of the original Apple Macintosh computer. With the upcoming release of the expensive yet intriguing Apple Vision Pro headset, there are parallels to that Macintosh launch. Both products represent an expensive new computing paradigm - the Macintosh pioneering the graphical user interface, and the Vision Pro pioneering spatial computing via virtual and augmented reality. Though initial software libraries may be limited for the Vision Pro, its entertainment capabilities and evolution over time could make it a compelling purchase. Meanwhile at CES 2024, high-end VR headsets like Vario XR4 showcase this technology's potential while accessible products aim to help those with visual impairments, indicating an expanding range of use cases.

Takeaways

• 😊 Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset goes on sale this week, 40 years after the revolutionary Macintosh computer
• 💰 The Vision Pro costs nearly $4,000 - very expensive like the original Macintosh
• 📈 Analysts estimate Apple sold 160K-180K Vision Pros initially, showing strong demand
• 😕 Limited software support and apps could hamper Vision Pro's usefulness at first
• 🎥 Entertainment and immersive 3D content is a big Vision Pro feature right now
• 🤔 Useful real world applications will take time to develop, like with the Macintosh
• 👀 Other mixed reality headsets at CES showcase specific business uses
• 🧠 AI and machine learning may allow less visual screens as data processing advances
• ⌨️ Clicks iPhone keyboard case indicates desire for tactile feedback remains
• 🤷‍♀️ It's unclear yet if Vision Pro can change how we interface with computers

Q & A

How much did the original Macintosh computer cost in 1984?

The introductory price of the Macintosh in 1984 was $2,495, which when adjusted for inflation is over $7,500 today.

How many Vision Pro headsets did analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimate were sold in the first weekend?

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that Apple sold around 160,000 to 180,000 Vision Pro headsets over the first weekend.

What are some key differences between the Vision Pro and other mixed reality headsets shown at CES?

The Vision Pro does not need to be tethered to a PC to run like some other headsets. It also has very high resolution dual 4K displays built-in. However, it is more expensive than some other options.

What are some of the accessibility features that mixed reality headsets could potentially provide?

Mixed reality headsets could potentially help people with vision impairments by using smart cameras and displays to show a magnified view of the world in front of them.

What evidence is there that some people still prefer physical keyboards over touchscreens?

The Clicks iPhone keyboard case got a lot of interest at CES, showing there is still demand for physical keyboards over just using touchscreens.

What are some of the enterprise and business uses for mixed reality headsets?

Mixed reality headsets are being used for military training simulations, visualizing products in front of users, and other business applications that require high-quality imaging and environments.

Why does the author say we may see less screens and notifications in the future?

If technology gets smart enough to process data and recognize activities on its own, the author speculates we may not need as many screens constantly showing us information and interrupting us.

What evidence showed early interest and hype for the original Macintosh computer?

Apple reportedly spent millions on marketing. They also held stunts where people could rent a Macintosh for 24 hours to try it out, showing there was buzz and interest.

What questions are consumers asking now about the Vision Pro that echo questions asked about early computers?

Consumers are asking what exactly the Vision Pro can do and how useful it will be given the high price tag, similar to early questions about computers.

Why is the author waiting before buying a Vision Pro headset?

The author wants to see how the Vision Pro capabilities and available apps evolve over time before making the investment in the expensive new device.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 A look back at the history and impact of the original Macintosh computer on its 40th anniversary.

Paragraph 1 provides background on the original Macintosh computer that Apple released 40 years ago this week. It highlights the Macintosh's innovations like its all-in-one design, graphical interface, and mouse navigation. The paragraph also notes the famous 1984 Super Bowl ad that promoted the Macintosh as the start of the personal computer revolution. Overall, it frames the historical significance of the Macintosh and its influence over 40 years.

05:00

🥽 The upcoming release of the Apple Vision Pro headset sparks comparisons to the original Macintosh launch.

Paragraph 2 draws parallels between the launch of the Vision Pro mixed reality headset and the original Macintosh computer. It notes that both were expensive, pioneering products that garnered excitement despite limited initial software. The paragraph cites sales figures and marketing efforts for the Macintosh launch over 40 years ago. It raises questions consumers may have about the Vision Pro's usefulness and capabilities that echo conversations from the Macintosh release. Overall, it contrasts and compares these two pivotal moments in Apple's history.

Keywords

💡Macintosh

The Macintosh was Apple's first mass-market personal computer featuring a graphical user interface and mouse. It was released in 1984 and was a major milestone in making computers accessible and easy to use for regular consumers. The video discusses the original Macintosh to draw parallels with the new Apple Vision Pro headset, which is also an expensive and relatively limited first-generation product aiming to bring a major computing shift, similar to how the Macintosh introduced GUI-based personal computing.

💡Vision Pro

The Apple Vision Pro is Apple's new augmented/virtual reality headset announced to be launching in early 2023. It features dual 4K displays and spatial computing capabilities. The video discusses the Vision Pro's high price tag, unknown software capabilities, and how its utility and adoption may evolve over time, similar to early personal computers like the original Macintosh.

💡spatial computing

Spatial computing refers to the ability to visualize and interact with digital objects and information integrated into the physical environment. Apple calls the Vision Pro the beginning of the spatial computing era, allowing users to experience immersive 3D visuals and movies. The video speculates on potential uses like visualizing products and accessibility.

💡CES

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is a major annual consumer tech trade show where companies showcase upcoming products and technology. The video mentions how the reporter attended CES to view new tech like VR headsets and AI products, assessing the Vision Pro's competitive landscape.

💡1984 Super Bowl ad

The 1984 Super Bowl ad was Apple's iconic commercial that introduced the Macintosh, portraying it as a liberating innovation in a dystopian world. The video references this ad to illustrate the Macintosh's cultural impact and hype at the time, similar to expectations surrounding the Vision Pro.

💡price

Both the original Macintosh and new Vision Pro are very expensive, especially for unproven first-generation products. The video compares their launch prices, noting the Vision Pro costs over $3500, to highlight how Apple is counting on loyal customers to pay premium prices for early adoption.

💡limitations

As pioneering products, both the Macintosh and Vision Pro face initial limitations like few apps and unsupported software. The video draws this parallel to temper expectations about the Vision Pro's capabilities at launch versus its long-term potential.

💡evolution

A key theme is how the Macintosh evolved over time into a versatile and useful product based on software development and consumer needs. Similarly, the video forecasts that the Vision Pro's capabilities and applications will significantly grow and improve after its limited initial launch.

💡accessibility

The video speculates if spatial computing could someday aid accessibility, like overlaying visual aids for the visually impaired. This illustrates forward-thinking potential uses that may evolve over generations of the technology.

💡AI

AI and machine learning are discussed as driving forces behind making spatial computing truly useful, for example by analyzing visual data to provide contextual solutions. This represents a shift from focusing on hardware to smarter software.

Highlights

Apple calls this the spatial computing era freeing us up to use the space around us for our mixed reality computing

Analyst Mingi Quo estimates that Apple sold around 160,000 to 180,000 Vision Pros over the first weekend

When you account for taxes and if you buy the $200 travel case that is just shy of $4,000 for the Vision Pro

The introductory price of the Macintosh was $2,495 which when adjusted for inflation is over $7,500 today

In the first 4 months Apple was reported to have sold 50,000 Macintosh machines

There's been stories that several apps including Netflix and Spotify are not making special apps to work with the Vision Pro

I really think the coolest uses for the Vision Pro will evolve in time just like we saw the Macintosh evolve

Apple still stole the show at CES as it began - Apple dropped news about the Vision Pro pre-orders and release date

The Vario XR4 headset resolution and pass through cameras are so good that it's being used for military training

There was a bigger focus around the machine learning side of artificial intelligence at CES

Culturally could we be seeing a pendulum swing us back to fewer screens, more of an older tech analog desire

The Clicks iPhone keyboard got a ton of interest at CES - it gives your iPhone physical keyboard buttons

There is still something we crave with wanting the physical click to control our interfaces

I want to see if the Vision Pro's hand gestures start rewiring our brains and if it can still give us that tangible feedback and control we crave

I am eager to see what the Vision Pro could be like and if home movies in 3D could change my outlook on the device

Transcripts

[Music]

40 years ago this week Apple released

the Macintosh with a built-in screen

keyboard mouse and floppy drive this was

the start of a computer that changed the

world on January 24th Steve Jobs pulled

the Macintosh out of a bag and the

Macintosh said hello this was an

all-in-one machine for the home that let

users navigate around with a graphical

interface it was such a big deal that it

was teased in the iconic 1984 think

different Super Bowl commercial directed

by Ridley Scott now 40 years later we

are about to enter a new era of

computing with the launch of the Apple

Vision Pro Apple calls this the spatial

Computing era freeing us up to use the

space around us for our mixed reality

Computing work visualizing anything we

want in our living room and yet how free

will we feel with a headset strapped to

our faces probably making our hair look

silly as it beams dual 4K resolution

screens onto our eyeballs while a

battery pack Clips onto our pants the

world is very different now than it was

in 1984 but there are some parallels

between these two moments in history in

fact consumers today might be asking

themselves some of the same questions as

consumers did four decades ago like with

it being so expensive what exactly can

this big machine do and how useful will

it be before the Vision Pro headset

lands in consumer hands there's one more

thing to talk about this week how is

Apple going to get us thinking

differently about what we want from

computers I just got back from seeing

Cutting Edge technology at the world's

largest consumer electronic show known

as CES and The Vision Pro is not the

only new tech that could influence where

apple and personal Computing is heading

next I'm Bridget Carey and this is one

more thing we do not even have all the

answers to what it's like to use a

visionpro headset and yet the first

batch of devices arriving February 2nd

are sold out of course you can still

order a Vision Pro but now the shipping

times for the next batch are pushed back

roughly five or 6 weeks arriving in

March analyst mingi quo estimates that

Apple sold around 160,000 to 180,000

Vision Pros over the first weekend and

he wrote that Apple should be able to

produce half a million this year it's

another reminder that people really love

apple and really trust Apple if they are

fast to dish out nearly four grand to

say they are among the First with a

headset and that's no exaggeration on

the cost when you account for taxes and

if you buy the $200 travel case that is

just shy of $4,000 and I did not include

Apple Care protection now that's a lot

of money to spend on a new type of

computer but I keep thinking back to the

original Macintosh computer from 40

years ago also very expensive and

different for its time the introductory

price of the Macintosh was

$2,495 which when adjusted for inflation

is over $7,500 today so one Macintosh

was two Vision pros and how many people

were jumping to get a Macintosh if it

was so pricey in the first four months

Apple was reported to have sold 50,000

machines and apple reportedly spent

millions of dollars in marketing and

advertising including holding stunts for

people to rent out the machine for 24

hours to try it so it was something that

got a lot of Buzz even if not everyone

bought one it was also reported Ed to

have a very small library of software

programs there were things like mac

paint and Mac right of course we are

talking about the early days today's

Macs have programs Galore in the App

Store but limited software at launch

could once again become a speed bump for

apple with vision proos debut there's

been stories that several apps including

Netflix and Spotify are not making

special apps to work with the Vision Pro

and I'm sure you'll see a lot of the

same apps that you get on the iPad but

how many of those apps will be so

specially designed for Vision Pro that

it can Elevate the usefulness of the

device to make it a must have or at

least a must try at your local Apple

Store theater entertainment right now is

a big feature of the Vision Pro you can

turn your space into a giant personal

movie theater with different backgrounds

like making it look like you're watching

Star Wars on a Star Wars Planet because

you really like Star Wars but there will

be lots of 3D content and more than 150

3D movies so you can watch Avatar the

way of water the way it was meant to be

seen all by yourself inside goggles I

really think the coolest uses for this

will evolve in time just like we saw the

Macintosh evolve and the same goes for

any of Apple's products remember the

iPhone was pretty Limited in its

features when it launched earlier this

month I was running around the show

floor of CES it's the largest consumer

Tech show and companies come here to

show off their visions of the future and

wouldn't you know it even though apple

does not have any Booth or presentation

at the show Apple still stole the show

as it began Apple dropped news about the

Vision Pro pre-orders and release date

and this looming Vision Pro arrival just

hovered in the air now during my week I

got to check out another mixed reality

headset that also boasts very high-end

specs to rival the Apple Vision Pro it

is called the vario xr4 and it is from a

Finnish company that says its resolution

and pass through cameras are so good

that it's being used right now for

military training like a flight

simulator with the US Department of

Defense but it does need to be Tethered

to a PC to run the programming it was

impressive with how its cameras could

tell where I was looking to keep the

image in focus and I could pick up very

fine details in the room I was in but

also when it was time to use the pass

through cameras I could easily read a

piece of paper that I held in front of

me but this high-end model is for

industrial use it starts at 4 grand and

it goes up to 10 grand and cost and

that's not even counting the price of

the PC you still need to hook up to it

it makes Vision Pro Look affordable but

even so it depends what needs a business

would have to get such a high-end image

simulated and I think business needs

will be a big motivator to where we go

next in VR and visualizing products in

front of us there were other headsets

designed to help with very specific

needs there's the eite go it's worn like

a pair of glasses and it helps the

visually impaired for people with

central vision loss who normally cannot

see much at all unless the object is

just inches from their face they can use

this to see fine details far away again

by having smart cameras and screens

display the world up close to their eyes

now I've been wondering how the Vision

Pro could be seen as something to help

with accessibility but it's not like you

want to walk around with a big Vision

Pro headset at the grocery store so

could the next Generations of Apple

Vision get so light that it could be a

health or exess accessibility tool to

help make life easier with all those

cameras and sensors there is a push for

computing to be able to show you

anything you want and have it look real

in front of you in your own little

closed off headset world but mostly at

CES there was a bigger Focus around the

machine learning side of artificial

intelligence where a computer can take

all this data being collected and

present a solution before you're even

aware that there could be a problem to

solve so it's less about the hardware

and more about the computing power

making the gear smarter and doing

something useful with all this data

we're collecting there's a mirror from

barota called the beind it uses AI

smarts and a camera to analyze your skin

and tell you how to fix your face it was

not very kind to me notice Li

bags oh no and all this gets me thinking

if our computers will start doing more

with all the data being gathered I have

been wearing a new smart ring discovered

at the show it's called the Eevee at

it's so much less intrusive than a

smartwatch pinging me and needing

charging every day now I do like my

Apple watch but culturally could we be

seen a pendulum swing us back to fewer

screens more of an older Tech analog

desire to fewer interruptions if the

tech is smart enough to just recognize

my activity and process the data on its

own speaking of older Tech the clicks

iPhone keyboard got a ton of interest at

the show the case gives your iPhone

physical keyboard buttons I got to check

it out a bit and my fingers got used to

it after about 5 minutes and I got a

personal walkthrough from Mr mobile

himself Michael fiser who is a

co-founder of the company but the hype

around this shows you that there is a

split of how even though we are moving

toward a world where we can control

computers with just our gestures there

is still something We crave with wanting

the physical click to control our

interfaces just like how using a mouse

can feel better than a trackpad I want

to see if the vision proos hand gestures

start re wiring our brains and if it can

still give us that tangible feedback and

control We

crave I cover Apple every week but I

couldn't at this point justify dropping

thousands of dollars to be among the

first to have the Vision Pro so no I did

not pre-order it that does not mean I

don't find it interesting I have been

using the iPhone 15 Pro Max to take

spatial videos of my family I am eager

to see what it could be like and if home

movies in 3D could change my Outlook on

the device we're just going to see how

the Vision Pro shapes up over time and

if the data collected in our real world

makes anything more interesting on what

gets projected inside the virtual one

let me know if you pre-order The Vision

Pro or if you are waiting and why I'll

catch you next week when the spatial

Computing era begins but you should

probably watch the show from your

Macintosh there's no YouTube Vision Pro

app thanks for watching