Apple Vision Pro: should your clients care?
Apple shipped its $3,500 headset this month. The reviews are mixed. The hype is real. Most clients shouldn't build for it yet — here's the framework for deciding.
Apple Vision Pro launched in the US this month at $3,499. It's the most thoughtful headset anyone has ever made and also the most uncertain product Apple has launched in fifteen years. Every brand client we have asked about it this week. Here's the framework we keep coming back to.
The state of the device
- 01Hardware is extraordinary — pass-through video that actually works, eye tracking that feels magical, hand input that's better than expected.
- 02The OS feels like iPad-on-your-face right now — which is impressive, and limited.
- 03Battery, weight, and price keep it firmly in 'enthusiast and developer' territory for at least another year.
Vision Pro vs Quest 3, side by side
| Concern | Vision Pro | Quest 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (US launch) | $3,499 | $499 |
| Display | Dual 4K micro-OLED | Dual LCD 2064×2208 |
| Passthrough | Best in class | Very good, slight fishbowl |
| Input | Eyes + hands (no controllers) | Hands + Touch controllers |
| OS | visionOS (iPad lineage) | Horizon OS (Android lineage) |
| App ecosystem at launch | Mostly compatible iPad apps | Mature VR + MR catalogue |
| Target buyer | Developers, early enterprise, Apple loyalists | Mass consumer, gaming |
Who should build for it now
- 01Studios that already build for iPad or Mac — your existing app probably runs unmodified, and that's a low-risk presence.
- 02Brands with a genuine spatial use case (architecture, set design, retail layout, training).
- 03Anyone whose customers are paying for $3,500 hardware anyway.
Who shouldn't
- 01Brands chasing 'an AR experience' for press. Vision Pro is a poor PR fit and a worse retention story.
- 02Anyone whose product surface needs millions of users in year one.
- 03Anyone who'd be building 'a 3D version of our app' that doesn't actually use 3D meaningfully.
The Vision Pro is technically magnificent. It will be commercially niche for at least two generations. Wait for the second-generation hardware before betting client budget on it.
What we're telling clients
If your iPad app already exists, port it as a compatibility check — it's a weekend of work and you get a Vision Pro listing for the same price as nothing. If you're starting from scratch, wait. The second generation will be lighter, cheaper, and the apps that actually matter will have shown up by then.