Over the past month, the legal tech world has been abuzz with speculation about the U.S. release of the Apple Vision Pro. With its high base price of $3,499, many professionals, including ourselves, were skeptical about the cost-to-benefit ratio of this device. Our changing perspective towards the gadget was triggered by Jeff Richardson’s account of using the Apple Vision Pro for in-flight entertainment.
Having since experimented with the device, our initial verdict is this: for most lawyers, there is no urgency to invest in the Apple Vision Pro. Unless you’re an early technology adopter, it might be more prudent to wait until newer versions are released and the number of device-specific applications grows, particularly those geared towards productivity enhancement.
However, for those who are intrepid and foresee the device’s potential in altering work patterns and processes, it might be worth investing. We firmly believe that the Apple Vision Pro indicates the dawn of a new stage of computing, mainly due to its groundbreaking user interface.
Now onto the cool stuff – the goggles don’t require handheld controllers to interact with the environment – a notable distinction from other immersive technologies like the Meta Quest 2 goggles. Instead, pointing towards and gesturing with your hands within your visual field directly interacts with the interface. For those easily excited by future-forward concepts, the user interaction here channelizes a noticeable ‘Mission Impossible’ vibe.
For those of you with prescription glasses, the device doesn’t accommodate regular spectacles. So, you are left with two potential workarounds: invest in prescription lenses for the device or opt for contact lenses during use. In terms of headphone compatibility, especially for use in public, there are both upsides and downsides. While most headphones and earbuds can connect, the optimal sound quality is reported to be achieved with Apple’s own AirPods.
The Apple Vision Pro already supports over a thousand apps, a figure that’s bound to increase. These range from popular video-streaming platforms, which according to our experience provides a viewing sensation unrivaled by any contemporary methods including movie theatre screens, to a host of hyper-immersive niche applications.
Despite the gadget’s hefty price tag and the current lack of productivity-centric applications, the Apple Vision Pro is definitely something tech-savvy lawyers and early adopters might find a worthy investment in. We anticipate that once the technology evolves further and more useful applications become available, the value proposition will significantly improve, triggering a wider adoption of the device.
You can read the more detailed review of the Apple Vision Pro by Nicole Black here.