Apple’s Vision Pro Gives Us a Glance at a More Equitable Work Evolution
Earlier this month, I attended an appointment at the Apple Store to try out a demo of the Apple Vision Pro. I had already seen the Tweets and watched Apple’s commercial — it was time to see what the hype (or lack thereof) was about. I won’t delve into the intricacies of the demo since there are many videos on Youtube recording the 10 minute experience, but I will say that while I started out a cynic, I believe that the Vision Pro and similar technologies truly embody the future of productivity, creativity, and connectivity. With a few accessible updates, I see this augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology completely changing the way we work, leading to an influx of talent and a more equitable work environment.
As a second-year MBA student at Columbia Business School (CBS), I’ve realized that many of my courses discuss how there has been a blurring of work and personal boundaries over the last few years. Many of my classmates and I experienced remote work from 2020 to 2022, and the concept of a completely remote workforce became more popular, with many professionals and firms writing about its benefits.
This trend is unlikely to reverse itself back to where it was in 2019, and it’s important to recognize that these boundaries were never that opaque for many workers, including emergency responders, teachers, caretakers, and social workers. However, remote work offered a chance for people who were experiencing these responsibilities a newfound flexibility and a more integrated approach to working and living a full life. Business leaders (including many of my classmates) who advocate for an inflexible in-office schedule are openly ignoring the equity matters at stake for the most vulnerable populations.
As I completed my demo of the Vision Pro in the store, my first thought was that this could truly change hearts and minds about how we work in the future — and possibly offer a more compassionate work experience for more people. New wearable tech like Apple’s Vision Pro combines AR and VR, and I can definitely see the exciting possibilities for how we work, create, and connect in-person, and more interestingly, remotely.
Essentially, the Vision Pro uses AR and VR to combine digital content with the user’s physical space. AR technology is what creates experiences that seem familiar like applications (when I tested it, the interface looked like my Macbook’s desktop) and digitally overlays them onto your surroundings and physical environment (which in my case, was the Apple Store and display tables). Conversely, VR technology helps immerse the user in virtual simulations. For example, at one point during the demo, I was “taken” to the top of a mountain; with the whooshing wind sounds and the full screen in my peripherals, I felt like I was actually on Mount Everest.
Based on Apple’s site, the Vision Pro also uses technology such as spatial mapping and biometric sensors to create experiences that previous generations of wearable AR or VR tech have struggled to reach. Nonetheless, I still experienced a few issues with the headset and calibration despite claims that it would be easy to get accustomed to. In particular, selecting an item was difficult for me. This is done using a pinching motion, which can happen by your side or on your lap. When I asked the Apple associate guiding me if there were accommodations for people who may have trouble doing the pinching motion, she seemed hesitant and couldn’t explain what the alternative could be. From an accessible point of view, I see this as one of the pain points Apple will need to address before anyone can implement this technology to the masses. Additionally, the headset was quite heavy. Coming in at around 1.3 pounds, the Vision Pro is heavier than the Quest 3 and other wearable devices. Part of it, I believe, is due to the battery, which had a short life, and required me to be plugged in at all times (another issue Apple will need to fix if this is to be implemented for remote workers).
From a technical standpoint, the Vision Pro is objectively a marvel, and I had a lot of fun experiencing the demo. The display was the most high-resolution I’ve seen, and the sensors that tracked my eyes were almost exact. Because I’m an Apple user, I felt that the ecosystem was well-integrated, and I could see myself working using this device if it was lighter. Overall, I see the Vision Pro as a gateway to actually changing the way that people can work. In a world becoming even more globalized, this technology will take us to places we’ve never been physically able to while enabling efficient remote collaboration. Business leaders and managers need to be open to this new technology in order to create a more inclusive work environment where everyone can do their best work and live their lives on their terms.
