Apple Vision Pro Demo @ Fountain Gate Store

TL;DR

Apple Vision Pro 技术上确实先进,但在 AU$6,000 这个价位上,需要走的路还非常远。但最出戏的部分还是到店预约演示的体验,对我来讲,在经历过这次体验之后,已经完全没有购买的欲望了。

Apple Vision Pro is a great step up in this technology, but there's a long way forward based on its current price tag. Also the way the demo program is setup, especially when compared with experiences from other vloggers, is lacking at its best. For me, the demo has ruined it.

澳洲的 Apple Vision Pro (AVP) 于7月12日开始发售,并同期提供可预约30分钟的到店演示。虽然我个人的AR/VR/MR设备经验少得可怜(正经拥有过的仅仅是多年以前的Google Cardboard,还曾经体验过Rift/Quest系列和HoloLens各几十分钟吧),但从一个苹果设备使用者和对交互体验比较有见解的普通用户,我对AVP的期待值真的特别的高。毕竟距离AVP发布已经过去很长一段时间了,在到店之前我对其各种缺点也是比较有心理准备的,但真正体验过后,我只能说对整个过程十分失望。接下来我会每个段落简单描述一下我所体验的内容,以及我对设备和演示过程的感受。

Apple Vision Pro (AVP) has been available to purchase from 12th July 2024 and a 30-minute demo can be booked in Apple Stores. Even though I personally have a very limited experience with AR/VR/MR devices, I'm talking about the only device I owned was a Google Cardboard, while only short-lived (< 60 minutes) experiences with Rift/Quest and HoloLens, I'm still have a very high expectation to Apple Vision Pro, purely from an Apple ecosystem user and a nobody with some unique interpretation in user experience design. It's been months since AVP was first announced and availabe to purchase in the US and some other places. And I've watched plenty of videos about AVP, so you can say I am prepared with all the good and bad about the deevice. But what I don't know is how disappointed I become after the actual demo, when was on my way to Apple Fountain Gate. Oh aren't you being naïve, Bill? 

0. 演示设备配置 Setup of the demo device

这个很多博主已经演示过了,店员会用一台机器测试一下你的眼镜度数并配好相似度数的蔡司镜片插片。这个过程店员一直在重复用这个机器会多么注重隐私,但真的没必要重复太多遍,会腻啊……还有,我在预约的时候已经按网站提示完成所有的步骤了,包括扫脸的部分,但店员一直在找一个不存在的二维码,最后还是用了店内的的iPhone再次扫脸才完成了设备配置。接下来就是佩戴设备,调整贴合,识别双手和眼球追踪等。配置过程也是苹果式的丝滑。对我来说,真的是没什么亮点就是最大的亮点。

Plenty of videos on YouTube and Bilibili about this - your spectacles will be measured by a machine that would help to get the right Zeiss inserts with privacy in mind, but really it's not something that I personally prefer to hear over and over again from the staff. Also I have already completed all steps right after my appointment on the app and website, including face scan, but somehow the staff is looking for a QR code that doesn't exist, and have to resort to a dedicated face scan with store iPhone to complete the setup. Finally, it's mounting the headset, adjusting the straps, recognising hands and eye-tracking. The setup experience is signature Apple. Yeah, nothing special is the most special thing of this experience.

1. 照片 Photos

就两点:尺寸大、立体感。主要是因为屏幕分辨率高,尺寸大了也不会有纱窗感;而立体感不用多说了,观感和其他头显没有本质区别,但会显得自然很多。演示过程中演示了一段AVP拍摄的空间视频,以及一段iPhone拍摄的空间视频。前者有身临其境的感觉,帧率和清晰度却让人无法满意;后者视频则十分自然流畅且清晰,而且是宽屏的,虽然临场感没那么强,但我个人更中意。其他的就没什么特别的了。

It's big and it's stereo. The screen resolutions are pretty high means even if you're looking right at something you don't see artifacts. Although apart from being quite natural, the stereoscopic experience is quite similar to other headsets. There were two videos demoned during the Photos App portion - one from AVP, which gives me a great sense of presence, but lack on the clarity and framerates (I mean it's quite bad!) while the other video shot on iPhone is wide-screen, very fluid and clear. Not punchy but I like much more. That would be all, nothing else are special.

2. App Store

不知道演示为什么非得在这个上面浪费2分钟 🤷

Uh... why are we wasting 2 minutes on this!?

3. Safari 浏览器

也不知道为啥演示非得在这个上面浪费两分钟看苹果官网。而好不容易我说服我自己多看几眼时,店员却一个劲儿地让我回主屏幕以继续演示 🫠

Not sure why we have to spend time on watching apple.com in Safari. And when I finally convinced myself to play more with Safari, the staff can't wait to push me to the next chapter...

4. Apple TV

剧院模式蛮有意思,沉浸式视频的宣传片也很有意思,临场感非常强,可能是我整个演示中最满意的部分,也是最能让你忘掉所有不满的部分。但店员让我从 Foundation 这个剧开始观看,我个人不是很喜欢这部剧,但她还一个劲儿地让我从这里开始,即便是Apple TV App显示有好几个片子可供观看,还说演示片只有几分钟,不喜欢很快就结束了(哈!?)不过就像我说的,沉浸式视频真的看不腻,音视频体验能让人忘掉很多不满。

The theatre mode is alright, while the immersive video is quite good, probably the most, well, immersive, and most satisfactory part of the demo. Also the part that makes me forget all the inconveniences and dissatisfactions. Though the staff makes me to start from the Foundations trailer - despite I'm being particular on I'm not a fan of the show. She insist and says it's short and will end soon (WHAT!?) even if I hated it. Not mentioning there are other videos that are already downloaded and ready to watch.

5. 互动娱乐(并没有)Interactive experience, well, not really

对的,并没有。第二页明明是有恐龙App的,但店员说演示时间已到,必须结束。而当我离店回顾期间拍摄的照片的时候,我才意识到对面桌的顾客在我开始试用前就已经在演示了,而我都演示结束了,他还在试用,嗯……😐 可惜啊,可能是整个演示最惊艳的部分,就这么被简单跳过了,说失望都是保守的🙍

You see it right... there's nothing. The Dinosaurs experience app is present on the 2nd page of home screen, but the staff told me it's the end of the demo and I have to stop. What really triggers me is that when I left the store and going through my photos and videos, I realised that the guy on the other side of the table started his demo before me, and still in the demo when mine is "completed".  What a shame, the dinosaurs experience would obviously become the most satisfactory portion of the demo while being skipped completely. Disappointing is an understatement. 

I. 只谈设备 Just the device

重量和佩戴:AVP很重,真的很重,是那种你看了数值却怎么也无法完全预判的重,和其他苹果设备完全不一样的感受。双环头带做工不错,但调节起来比较生硬。如果想让AVP在使用过程中不下垂,需要调节地相当紧。磁吸的遮光罩非常容易滑落,基本上就是你只要握了那部分,它就一定会从头显上脱落;头显又那么沉,就让遮光罩相比之下跟容易脱落了……直接陷入死循环。

Weight and fitness: AVP is heavy, really heavy. To a degree that you see the numbers but still can't grasp how heavy it is with a completely different sense of weight compared to other Apple devices. The dual loop headband is well made, but is not smooth when comes to adjustments. If you don't want the headset to sag, you have to tighten the straps really well. The magnetic light seal is so easy to fall off, practically the moment you touch it, it will detach. While the headset is so heavy, it's hard not to hold the headset by the light seal.

显示精度和视差:这两块显示屏的精度真的很棒,透镜畸变也比较小。但边缘锐利度尤其是色散还是明显感知得到,并在体验过程中无法刻意忽略。可能是蔡司插片的缘故,两眼交接的地方的黑边十分、十分、十分出戏,比看双瞳望远镜还难受。虽然没有过去很多头显的眩晕感,但仍然令我感到不适。可视角度 (FoV) 和其他头显没有本质区别,这可能是设备本身最失望的部分,视角还不如我的眼镜来的大,意味着在使用剧院模式播放电影、观看沉浸视频和全景照片的时候,你能感觉得到画面很大,但距离感非常出戏。色彩方面,可能是隔了多层透镜的缘故?还是iPad Pro或MacBook Pro的屏幕更通透一些。如果只是观看视频照片什么的,当沉浸于内容后,显示屏的的素质就没那么重要了。

Display: The screens are really good on the hardware, and the distortion control is done well. But edge fringing is still quite significant, to a degree that you can't ignore when immersed. Probably it's something to do with Zeiss inserts, the centre of the view is always affected by the black edges of those lenses. Worse than binoculars, and it's always there. Not much to cause motion sickness, but it's there. FoV is no fundamental changes to other headsets, which is probably the most disappointing hardware-wise. It's not better than my own spectacles, meaning when watching movies, immersive videos and landscapes, you can feel the sheer size, but always "at a distance". When it comes to colours, it's not as punchy as iPad Pro or MacBook Pro. Probably something to do with the opticals? It's OK, especially when you immersed in the contents, for viewing photos and videos, but it also won't stand out from the competitors.

声音:可能是让我最意外的地方!声音很通透,空间音频效果很好。虽然现场比较嘈杂,但音量调到最大听清楚内容是完全没问题的,比AirPods的通透模式更清晰(哈哈)

Sound: This is probably the most surprising part of the headset! The spatial audio is amazing. Despite the lousy environment, you can still hear everything with the volume to the max, while much more clearer than transparent mode of AirPods.

手势控制:精度没有想象中的高,完全做不到指哪儿打哪儿。我感觉有至少30%的指令没有识别到,这还是我时刻注意手的位置和手势清晰度的条件下。不过相比较其他头衔在没有控制器的前提下,AVP还是很出众的。

Gesture control: It's not as good as expected. There's no way you get a fool-proof experience. I'd say I have at least 30% gestures are either dismissed or misinterpreted. And that's given I'm being particular on where I put my hands and be mindful on the accuracy of my gestures. Though still the best when navigating controller-free.

软硬件:系统很流畅,没了。毕竟就那么些能体验的东西。哦不过二十多分钟的使用并没有产生什么热量,可能是因为高负载的应用都没体验到吧。

Hardware and software: It's smooth, that's all. There's so much you can try during the demo. Though it's not producing much heat, probably due to none of the amazing stuff were demoed anyway 🤦

II. 不谈设备,只谈演示的体验 Not the device, but the demo experience

其他方面,和不少视频里的体验不同,我这里贴脸的部分贴了一张无纺布,应该是为了卫生考虑的。但这层无纺布贴纸比较硬,刮得脸生疼。

Regarding the sanitary, different from many videos, there's a disposable sticker on the cushion. But the sticker is quite harsh and discomfort.

接下来就是完全吐槽的流水账了,因为演示过程可吐槽的地方比设备本身多多了,对我来说真正毁了整个体验的就是这个过程。就从这个体验和我之前在 Apple Store的经历相比较,真的很难让人产生购买的冲动。

我在 Fountain Gate 遇到的店员皆对顾客和AVP有着那种苹果式的兴奋,但唯独引导我整个体验的这位店员显得那么的无所谓。你和她聊任何你对设备兴奋,或回答她那些(范式的职业的)问题,她都没什么回应;而整个过程你没有任何自由度,完全都是被她带着跑的节奏。你在任何部分花费任何多余的时间,甚至是不小心提前前进到下一个图片或视频(AVP的手势识别没有精准到100%指哪儿打哪儿,所以经常会操作不动或操作过当)我都能感受到她的不满。我也无法判断是因为她个人对AVP或者整个过程不是很了解,还是因为她本身AVP并不感到激动。尤其是当演示结束时,我询问为什么恐龙 App没有演示的时候,她只是淡淡地说时间到了。我直到走出店门,回顾我拍摄的照片和视频的时候才意识到,从我坐下直到离开,整个过程也不过25分钟(预约的是30分钟的演示)更让我感到遗憾的是,回想起来我对面的顾客在我坐下的时候已经开始了演示,但直到我离开他还在试用(那个顾客不是购买、配置设备的,也是来看演示的,桌面上没有见到包装盒)。如此的不公平感,尤其还是离店以后才意识到的感觉,有种吃了苍蝇的不爽😕

Now let's talk about how disappoint the experience was, since there's way more dissatisfaction on the demo process than the device itself. To me, that's the sheer reason ruined my entire day, especially compared to my previous experiences in Apple Stores. Under such condition, I have no, nil interest, to purchase the device, all thanks to this bad experience in store. 

All staff in Fountain Gate got this Apple-style excitement to AVP and their customers, all except the one who guided me through the demo, how ironic! Whatever you talk to her about how excited about AVP, or when answering the questions (those in the script that she has to ask) with excitements, you always get a bland response, if there's any. There's no freedom during the demo. You have to follow her lead on every nitty-gritty details. Any time that you wasted, including you accidentally selected (or unable to select, see above about the accuracy of gesture control) on the screen, such as go to the next or previous picture, would sense her annoyance. I don't know if it's because she's not well-trained to the demo or not being excited about AVP from the get go, but such atmosphere certainly infects me. At the end of the demo when I ask why there's no demo to the Dinosaurs experience, she just says "it's time". Nothing less, nothing more. It's only when I left the store and review my photos and videos that I realise the entire experience lasted less than 25 minutes, counted from the moment I sit down, and until I left the store, where the demo should be 30 minutes on its own. Moreover, the customer opposite to me started their demo before me, and is still on-going when I dismount. (Note that customer is not making a purchase yet and is not for setup session instead of demo. I don't see boxes on the table). The unfairness, especially when I only find out when I left the store, left such a bad taste in my mouth.

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