Apple Vision Pro Headache: 45% of Users Return Device As Mark Zuckerberg Takes Shots

Key Takeaways

• The Apple Vision Pro’s design has led to physical discomfort among users, significantly impacting its usability.
• Despite its advanced technology, the Vision Pro has struggled to prove its worth in enhancing productivity or entertainment.
• As the 14-day return window approaches for people who bought the device on launch day, an avalanche of posts on X shows less-than-happy customers.

For many early adopters of the Apple Vision Pro, the initial excitement has quickly turned into disappointment, leading to an unusual trend of returns.

With a staggering 45% of users reportedly returning their $3,500 headsets, the product’s launch could be described as anything but smooth.

Industry Growing Pains or Fatal Flaw?

Since the launch of Apple Vision Pro, some reported 200,000 units have been sold. However, an unofficial poll  from the news site Cult of Mac revealed that 45 percent of respondents planned to return the headset. The online feedback from this initial wave of users raises questions about the Vision Pro’s value, comfort, and utility. Yet, the real issue at hand is whether this feedback loop signifies a fundamental flaw in the product or merely growing pains in the adoption of XR technology.

Tech influencers have taken to X to share their views on the Apple Vision Pro, with one user sharing a less-than-positive review of the Vision Pro, telling his followers to “Get your 5 grand back.”

Apple Vision Pro users have until February 16 to return their headsets if purchased on the launch date.

Comfort Concerns Lead the Charge

The reasons for dissatisfaction range from physical discomfort to underwhelming functionality, sparking a conversation about the future of wearable technology and drawing criticisms from the first wave of users.

One of the most voiced complaints about the Vision Pro is its comfort, or lack thereof. Users have experienced headaches, motion sickness, and even physical injuries such as burst blood vessels due to the headset’s weight and front-loaded design.

The headset’s design has been criticized for causing physical discomfort, including headaches and motion sickness, attributed to its weight and how it sits on the user’s head. Moreover, the steep price point of $3,500 has left many questioning the return on investment, especially when the device fails to seamlessly integrate into daily work and entertainment routines.

And it isn’t just social media users sharing their less-than-satisfactory reviews. The New York Times  laid out a succinct review of the Vision Pro in an article, with the headline “Apple’s First Headset Lacks Polish and Purpose”, noting that “at times, wearing them also made our columnist feel nauseated.”

Zuckerberg Chimes in

Sharing an Instagram reel, Zuckerberg called the Meta Quest headset  the “better product, period”. The Meta CEO’s comments touched upon pricing, comfort, and gaming, noting how Quest is 7x less expensive, more comfortable, and better for gaming, Xbox, and YouTube, adding “I’m surprised how much better Quest is better for majority of things”.

Social media users have drawn comparisons between Apple Vision Pro and Meta’s Quest, positioning Quest as a potential solution to Vision Pro’s flaws.

One Instagram user commented on Zuckerberg’s post, interrogating the CEO’s thinly veiled critique:

“But @zuck you’re not being totally fair. I get where you’re coming from, but the Quest 3 is the third VR under Facebook/meta before acquiring Oculus, and Oculus was at it over 10 years ago. This was Apple’s first attempt. Microsoft’s hololens didn’t materialise despite it being introduced almost 10 years ago. In the scheme of things, I’m just an unknown person and this comment may mean nothing. But I guess as you stated, in mobile Apple won, and asking the way too many manufacturers went under (RIM/Blackberry), Windows mobile/Windows phone, Nokia (not the same Nokia of today). So what would it take for the Quest to meet the same fate as the rest? PS: Not an Apple fanboy.”

The high price point for Apple’s latest XR product price has driven many users to question how they will remain competitive.  “Not sure if apple “created” the aspirational category, the price of #VisionPro suddenly made Quest 3 look like great value considering the features”, an X  user remarked.

Tech Flop or Useful Market Research?

Apple has not released an official statement on the return rate of Apple Vision Pro. So far, the gauge on user sentiment has been limited to social media; taken with a pinch of salt, given they can be echo chambers where negative experiences get amplified. The actual return rate and overall customer satisfaction levels will need to be understood through comprehensive data that Apple has yet to provide.

With this ambitious foray into wearable tech, Apple may be leveraging the initial release as a real-world testing ground, gathering invaluable data directly from these early adopters before any further release.

About the Author

Samantha Dunn

Samantha started as a traditional writer and journalist before falling down the Web3 rabbit hole. She now explores the ways in which emerging technology is impacting economies, industries, and the individual.

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