Apple’s Vision Pro Announcement Met With Memes And Mockery

On Monday, Apple unveiled its Vision Pro headset, boasting a blend of virtual and augmented reality, allowing the user to interact with a digital interface while staying aware of their surroundings.

Despite multiple attempts from Silicon Valley, virtual reality headsets have never been fully embraced by the public, with users often complaining that the devices are too clunky, disorienting, impractical and expensive.

Apple, however, seems wildly confident in the new product, announcing that the Vision Pro headset would retail at an ambitious $3,499.

The internet, naturally, responded with memes and mockery, comparing the eerie, cheery announcement video to an episode of dystopian sci-fi series Black Mirror.

Of course, everyone made fun of the price.

Many commentators noted that big tech has been aggressively pushing virtual reality headsets on the public for several years, as though covering our faces with screens is an inevitability, rather than a choice.

Some warned that the data-harvesting opportunities that come with a headset are going to be even more invasive than that of our phones and computers.

Google Glass famously tried to introduce augmented reality into our lives, and failed miserably.

Previous attempts to popularize virtual reality seem to prove that the technology has a niche appeal; anyone who has used a VR headset can attest that the novelty wears off surprisingly quickly. The eye strain just isn’t worth it, unless one is particularly passionate about immersive video games, virtual chat rooms and porn.

Hence, several jokingly speculated on how the device would really be used.

Something that distinguishes Apple’s Vision Pro from competitors is the fact that the device scans the user’s eyes and projects a digital copy onto the screen to give the illusion of eye contact, a truly baffling design choice that plunges real humans into the uncanny valley.

Many pointed to an unintentionally disturbing scene in Apple’s announcement video that shows a father “hanging out” with his kids, his eyes covered by the device.

Ironically, Apple seems very aware that the headset is awkward and socially isolating, as the device creates a digital doppelganger of the user to appear in Facetime calls, minus the headset.

Many pointed to the irony of Apple introducing a function designed to protect users from eye strain, before introducing a VR headset.

Of course, many pointed out that Apple’s innovations have been mocked before, and often succeed; the Vision Pro might seem clunky and unsettling, but it might well be the future.

No doubt, Black Mirror writers are going to find it hard to compete with 2023.