Apple Vision Pro is one of the most advanced mixed reality systems that you can buy right now, but there are some users who are suffering from teething problems with the fledgling headset – namely fitting issues that stem from the weight and straps on the device.
According to MarketWatch, there are a range of different ailments that are being reported by users, with most of them attributed to the fit of the device.
My neck, my back, I’m taking my Vision Pro back
One user, Emily Olman, came to Marketwatch with a pair of black eyes from her time with the device. “The fit was just off,” she says, adding that she couldn’t use the device for very long without some kind of discomfort. That was when her black eyes began as well, after the device “clearly placed too much weight on my cheeks”
Vision Pro is a heavy device at 650g, so it’s no surprise that some are finding the weighty headset uncomfortable. For some users, it’s all about the strain from the straps, as they dig into the base of the skull and top of the neck. Ian Beacraft, CEO of consulting firm Signal and Cipher complained of “soreness at the base of his skull and in his upper back after a two-hour session” After an adjustment period, however, some users are reporting that it becomes easier to wear. A surgeon cited in the report, Dr. Zuhaib Ibrahim, complained of headaches “after more than two hours on AR/VR headsets,” but clearly notes this is a limitation of all headsets to some degree.
The neck and head complaints around fit align with what Apple says about the device in its support pages. The idea is to wear it for shorter periods of time as you get used to the weight and the fit of the headset, and then for longer periods to work out how long is comfortable for you.
This week Apple touted the amazing potential of the headset in business, but if Apple wants to make Vision Pro a workplace device, then fit and comfort are going to be more important in the development of new versions of the headset. If you are to wear it for the length of a workday with all your screens and other work-related AR gubbins, then you need something that isn’t going to give you a bad neck or black eyes when you wear it.
