My first experience of VR on a Valve Index is a cherished memory—it was so much fun to explore video game environments as if actually visiting them! When Apple announced its premium augmented reality headset, the Vision Pro, I was about as excited as anybody could be. That is, until I tried it.
SOME QUICK DEFINITIONS FOR THE UNINITIATED
Virtual reality (VR) refers to immersive worlds portrayed using headsets that have one screen for each of your eyes, so you can see in 3D. When you put on a VR headset, the world around you disappears and you’re plunged into an environment that’s created using video game technology.
Augmented Reality (AR) is an improvement on VR technology that uses cameras on the outside of the device to capture your actual environment and show it to you on the screens displaying the virtual content, an effect called passthrough. This is super helpful for things like finding your drink on the counter and not bumping into chairs, but it also paves the way for experiences that blend the real with the virtual. Apple has bet big on that idea with the Vision Pro.
VISION PRO VS META QUEST 3
The Vision Pro is essentially a Mac packed into thick ski goggles, equipped with advanced camera systems, hand tracking, eye tracking, face tracking, and dazzling high-resolution screens for each eye. It promises what Apple calls spatial computing, that is, the experience of computer content that is not trapped inside a monitor, but instead experienced in the space around you.
LOCK YOUR APPLE ID WITH A PHYSICAL KEY
Security keys are physical items that can be used to verify your identity when logging into your Apple ID. If you are planning to use security keys, make sure you have at least two. Apple requires you use two, so that if you lose one, you will have another as a backup. At iPhone Life, a brand we recommend is the Yubico Yubikey 5Ci ($75).
IT'S TIME TO USE YOUR APPLE WALLET!
Apple Wallet lets you virtually store your credit and debit cards, rewards cards, boarding passes, movie tickets, and more all in one secure place.
END-OF-LIFE PLANNING
APPS & RESOURCES FOR PEACE OF MIND
PHOTO SHARING FACE-OFF: ICLOUD VS. GOOGLE PHOTOS
If there’s one thing that keeps me hooked on Google Photos, it’s sharing.
MY PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY
TIPS, APPS & GEAR FROM A LIFELONG LOVE OF PHOTOGRAPHY
SMART OUTDOOR LIVING
CREATING A HAVEN FOR YOUR FAVORITE POLLINATORS & PEOPLE
FROM ZERO TO GYM BRO
GET FIT AT HOME WITH THE SPEEDIANCE GYM MONSTER
WHY I DITCHED MY APPLE WATCH FOR THE OURA RING
Every morning for the past three months, I wake up wearing a shiny gold ring on my right pointer finger. If you look closely, you can see beams of red or green light leaking out the sides as it scans my heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature. I roll out of bed, grab my phone, and open the Oura app.
THE BEST APPS OF 2024
One of the most frequent questions I’m asked by friends and family is “Which app should I download?” With millions of options out there, choosing which apps to use is a task that stumps many people. Will a free version overload you with ads? Is the paid version worth it?
OPINION: I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE WITH APPLE VISION PRO, AND IT SUCKS.
Color me a virtual-reality optimist. Alongside writing for iPhone Life, I’m a video game developer, 3D artist, and sci-fi author. I own a Meta Quest 3 and use it all the time to play games and view 3D models as I work.
