Wild Times Ahead: Whacky Ways People Use Their Apple Vision Pro Headsets

There is no question that people are innovative, and the more powerful the technology they are handed, the more innovative they become. Take a tool like the Apple Vision Pro MR headset and you really get peoples creative juices flowing.

IT’S NOT WHAT IT DOES, BUT WHO CARES.

The MR capabilities of this fantastic headset open up all manner of opportunities when it comes to interacting with the outside world. Obvious examples would be playing a musical instrument such as pianos and drums – anything where you have the operational parts right in front of your eyes – or activities like assembling or disassembling complex systems.

For many people, being told “this is what this product does” is just the beginning of a journey into the outer limits of what can actually be achieved with it, and that’s where people start getting whacky. However, once users start reaching outside of the official documentation and stretching what a device CAN do, then corporate sphincters tighten.

BREAKING THE RULES.

Apple will obviously always state that their devices should be used in accordance with the user manual, and this states that the user should prepare their area (indoors or outside) and be aware of their surroundings. Apple also explicitly state that the Vision Pro “should never be used on or near roads, streets, or any other area where moving objects present a collision risk”. If that’s not a red rag to a bull then I don’t know what is.

It was plainly a challenging statement to YouTube sensation Casey Neistat, who posted a video of him powering an electric skateboard along a New York roadway while wearing an Apple Vision Pro Headset. As he rockets along, he deftly controls the board and avoids fatal contact with cars and trucks, implying that the headset is somehow helping him. Okay, it’s all a bit ‘Ready Player One’ but it turns out that he is just using the passthrough, rather than being aided by the headset. Further on in the video, Casey is filmed riding the subway and still donning his Apple equipment, but a screenshot clearly shows that the headset is losing tracking.

NEW HORIZONS…AND CHALLENGES.

The fact that the headset can in many cases be used outside of a defined area means that people are likely to push the envelope. Some users claim to have examined the Apple VisionOS code and found that there are lines that mention safety aspects such as issuing an on-screen warning if a user is moving too fast, but we have yet to hear of an actual instance of this happening.

The YouTube footage of Neistat definitely shows the headset showing warning messages, but it is unclear whether this is because the headset can’t lock on to anything or because the train is travelling at speed. One particular Travel Mode on the Vision Pro is designed with utilising it on an aeroplane in mind. Though it disables a few other functions including the 3D deep fake Persona capabilities, this enables the gadget to function while on the go. Apple still advises customers to remove their Vision Pro during take-off and landing and warns them they may run into problems if they gaze out the aircraft’s windows. Some customers are saying they can use the Vision Pro in a moving car thanks to that capability.

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX, BABY.

Obviously, humans being humans, the ability to use kit like this for more, um, sensual ways rather than just gaming or skateboarding through New York. Indeed, the Vision Pro already runs sex tech apps. With a special Vision Pro software, members of the sex toy manufacturer Lovense may manage their control vibrators or fleshlights. Apple appears to be far more stringently limiting access for people who want their regular dosage of pornography. Users are apparently irritated because the Vision Pro prevents them from seeing porn. One might say that will inevitably change in the future as the use of porn on MR headsets will only grow, but this is balanced against the closed nature of Apple developed apps. It will be interesting to see what will happen when the new Google/Samsung device hits the market. The ease with which apps can be loaded into the Playstore may force Apple to reevaluate their position.

The Apple Vision Pro is a powerful piece of equipment but it is also priced towards the fully professional users, rather than casual users, and that limits its general use. Until it becomes more mainstream, we won’t really get any feedback on its capability. However, once the price drops, we will no doubt get a much better idea of what it can do and what odd uses people could put it too.