If you watched Apple's WWDC event live, you may have had a similar reaction to my reaction to the announcement of the Apple Vision Pro AR/VR headset.

"That's neat.

"Yeah, very cool."

"Excuse me, how much?

If that sounds right, you're not alone. You can also watch the moment Apple revealed the Vision Pro "starting at $3,499" at the in-person event on the TikTok of katamogz, who were in the audience when Apple dropped this bombshell. This collective gasp/groan reflects the live reaction of everyone I've talked to about the headset since then.

The newly announced Apple Vision Pro is a beast in many ways, but it is a controversial technology. Reactions to the headset have come from all over the web, ranging from statements likening the headset's release to the iPhone in 2007 and its subsequent impact on the cell phone market, to wondering why Apple would bother with such a high price tag.

On Reddit's r/virtualreality, comment after comment lamenting the price tag.

"I thought there was a good chance that the rumor of $3,000 would spread and surprise everyone with a price $500 different. Apparently I was right, but in the wrong direction.

"They obviously believe it, but $3,499 is a lot," VicugnaAlpacos noted.

However, there are many surprisingly positive comments about the price of the product in a roundabout way.

"This is a halo product that will push innovation in the market, and hopefully in a few years they will release a low-end set with almost the same features for a "relatively" cheap $1000," writes Poltergeist97.

One thought shared by many is whether this device is intended for the masses, rather than a development vessel to break the first wave of apps for Apple's new VR/AR-focused visionOS.

"At the moment it's a developer device; to compete with meta, they need to build an ecosystem first; wait a year or two and there should be a cheaper consumer version," wrote kline6666.

Apple could use this product to convince customers that a more affordable, if not high-tech, option would also be a great buy. This is a technique that Apple has excelled at in the past, but only works if a less expensive option is released at some point.

Apple is rumored to be developing cheaper AR goggles, but reports indicate that these have run into difficulties and may now be postponed indefinitely.

The technical aspects of this headset seem unmatched by anything else available today, and looking at the specs provided here, there is no doubt that the Vision Pro is truly next-generation.

The Micro-OLED display is going to be absolutely massive and far exceeds the specs of the best VR headsets on the market today, and as much as I love Valve's audio solution for the Valve Index, I can't help but wonder if Apple will be able to make this I am particularly intrigued by the Spatial Audio system that Apple has included in the device's headband. Also, the R1 chip, which specializes in tracking many types of headsets, is definitely the right solution to continue using the processing chip (in this case, the Apple-designed M2) for the more demanding ones.

Reaction from those who have tried the headset firsthand has been generally super positive; Engadget's Devindra called it "the best VR/mixed reality technology we've seen yet."

But they also noted in their hands-on feature that, after all, it is still a headset and is still limited by what limits VR overall.

"But like many VR experiences, it was a completely solitary endeavor," Hardawar wrote.

Patrick McGee of The Financial Time noted that after going hands-on with the device, he couldn't let it go.

At least the headset doesn't completely rob you of your vision. In fact, the headset has been touted as a way to drop apps into the real world rather than absorb users with comprehensive visuals. One could use this headset for work, or one might want to escape the monotony of a long-haul flight with a more cinematic experience. Or, as Twitter user mihir jokingly puts it, you might want to show something else to your attention-deprived modern brain while you're socializing.

Vision Pro may be trying to understand its users better than you might expect. A former Apple developer who worked on the project during his tenure explained on Twitter that the headset uses AI models and biometric data to predict user intent. It can even predict a user's clicks before they are made.

This also has some sounding the alarm over privacy concerns. This use of biometric data has become a growing concern over the past few years. Meta has also expressed interest in ways to track VR users in VR in order to better advertise to us poor unconscious people, as cameras and sensors track eye movements, reactions, hands, surroundings, etc., which can potentially harvest vast amounts of personal data. .

So how should we evaluate Apple's latest creation? On the one hand, it is very expensive, which is exclusionary for many, and probably more for developers than actual users right now.

At least one thing is certain: it is not for PC gamers. The device is highly proprietary, as one would expect from Apple, and will offer little to those who have already purchased the SteamVR compatible ecosystem on PC. there will be games for visionOS, including those on Apple Arcade, but "Half-Life" You can forget all about it: it's Alyx.

More suitable for us might be Meta's Quest 3, and thank goodness it is much more affordable at $499. Meta will also be ahead of Apple with Quest 3, which will be available later this year. Since it will not be released until early 2024, potential customers will have a long time to mull over alternatives.