Apple’s new Vision Pro has a problem: It’s attached to your face.
I know what you’re thinking — aren’t all VR devices attached to your face? Well, first of all, it’s not a VR device, it’s a “revolutionary spatial computer” (that justifies the $3,500 price tag!). Second, Apple is really hoping that this baby will be able to seamlessly integrate into users’ worklives. That means that all your favorite Apple apps need to work with the device, including FaceTime.
The only issue is that, of course, the Apple Vision Pro can’t film your face while you’re wearing it, not that you’d want to be seen wearing one of these things in the first place. The workaround the company came up with is what they’re calling “Personas,” digital representations of the wearer that can interact with others on a FaceTime call.
And they look like shit.
Vision Pro Persona FaceTime call with @mkbhd and @briantong! I was actually more impressed with it the longer we were on the call because you kinda got used to seeing each other in our new virtual look. It's still in beta so it's only going to get better! pic.twitter.com/AI7cjctdQN
— iJustine (@ijustine) January 30, 2024
In a recent post on X/Twitter, tech reviewer iJustine shared a clip from her video offering her first thoughts on the device. In it, she can be seen on a FaceTime call with fellow tech YouTubers Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) and Brian Tong. While they seem initially enthusiastic, something — well, everything — feels off. The tech is impressive, but the faces themselves look somewhere between The Sims and the PlayStation 2.
These look like portraits you see airbrushed on t-shirts to commemorate someone's death https://t.co/lcoMU0AdXL
— timothy faust (@crulge) February 1, 2024
Brownlee insists that people will get used to seeing representations like these, though he also notes that the faces are “just at the edge of uncanny valley.”
I have to admit, watching the full conversation and seeing Brownlee’s video on the topic, I can understand how someone could get used to talking to a digital version of their friends. But the question is, is this what we really want?
If I got laid off by a GTA 4 Side character I’d open my wrists and walk into the ocean. We will no longer be needing your services just hits different coming from a fever dream version of your boss. https://t.co/ZuURuR9kGw
— jake (@jakebrodes) February 1, 2024
Overall, I’m not excited about the future that the Apple Vision Pro is heralding. Unless someone wants to give me one of these things, in which case, get ready to see me rendered at 240p!
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