Apple Vision Pro's in-store demos are better than ever - here's why and how to book one
Fresh off the news that Apple is working on a more affordable version of the Vision Pro, the company is making changes to boost slumping sales of its current VR headset.
According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple this week will change how it shows off the Vision Pro headset to potential in-store customers. Further down the road, the company plans to bring Apple Intelligence to the Vision Pro.
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As part of Apple's 30-minute in-store demos, the company now will let people see their own photos, videos, and panoramas in VR. This may seem like a small change, but seeing your own media on the Vision Pro makes the in-store demo more of a personal experience and could lead to more sales. It's probably not a coincidence this is coming just ahead of the visionOS 2 release this fall, which lets you turn a 2D photo into a spatial 3D photo.
Also, Apple is ditching the default single-strap band that many users have found uncomfortable in favor of the Dual Loop band, which is an add-on purchase. Apple will also let potential customers "Go Deeper" during an in-store demo to test office features and watch videos.
Helping customers have a better experience trying out the device can only help sell more Vision Pro headsets. From reports on Reddit, Vision Pro demos up until now have been fairly scripted; while they do a good job of showing off the device's capabilities, customers don't get to explore how they would use the headset. Now, you'll not only get to see your photos while testing the device, you'll get to test out the uses that are most relevant to you.
To book an in-store Vision Pro demo, go to the Apple Store site and select "book a demo." You'll need to sign in with your Apple ID, then choose a store near you, a date, and an available time. Demos take about 30 minutes.
The new demo approach is being utilized in some stores now, but it should be in all stores by July 9.
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Also, Apple is bringing Apple Intelligence, its AI platform, to the Vision Pro. When the company announced Apple Intelligence earlier this month at WWDC 2024, the AI was coming to Macs, iPhones, and iPads. However, Bloomberg's Gurman says Apple is "actively working" to bring its AI to the Vision Pro too.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it will arrive anytime this year. The challenge isn't simply porting it over, as the Vision Pro runs on iPad software, but getting it to look right in the Vision Pro's 3D environment instead of a flat screen.