Why I'm Ordering a Vision Pro
The day before the launch of Apple's Vision Pro is here, and tomorrow at 5am, I'll be up to order one. It's a very expensive product, and I continue to wonder why I feel such a strong urge to purchase one from the initial release. A new OS takes time to develop fully, to fix bugs, enhance features, and allow time for developers to create products and services that leverage its new capabilities. The initial phase is often rough. However, it also takes time to form an opinion about the near-future, not just by reading reviews but by experiencing and supporting these new products firsthand.
Like my fellow early risers, I'm eager to experience Apple's vision for the future of computing. More so, I'm excited to see what developers outside of Apple's headquarters will make. There are several indicators that developer activity for visionOS is unique compared to previous Apple platform launches. For example, unlike before, venture capitalists seem hesitant to invest in startups exploring this new space, given the high cost of the device and its niche, initial market appeal. The current economic situation also makes it risky for established companies with an existing App Store app to invest in a native app that initially has a small market, with a high consumer bar, especially when there are larger opportunities available to them. Additionally, Apple's prior business dealings with traditional "launch day" partners might discourage some from participating early on. For instance, I don't expect native Vision Pro apps from companies like Meta, Google, Netflix, Amazon, or Spotify due to various conflicts of interest. While it's disappointing that fewer developers will release apps early for the platform, and obvious projects such as Plex aren't releasing native apps on launch day, I still have reasons to be excited.
The developer community thrives on new platforms that enable them to realize their visions and inspires them to create something entirely new. It's this community I'm eager to support with my purchase, and perhaps I'll even join them someday. While similar platforms to visionOS have existed, Apple's commitment to product quality allows developers to deliver experiences which resonate with me because they tend to be best in class.
I'm uncertain what to expect from a device that developers haven't had the chance to fully explore and which will evolve over time. Yet, I'm eager to be a part of this journey and to support what develops.