Apple Vision Pro launched in the US in February 2024 with extraordinary ambition and a price tag to match. Six months on, the initial wave of excitement has settled, and we can start assessing what this device actually is rather than what it promised to be.

The Reality of Daily Use

The Vision Pro is, without question, the most technically impressive headset ever made. The display quality is extraordinary. The eye and hand tracking is a generation ahead of everything else on the market. The passthrough is good enough that you genuinely forget you’re looking through cameras for stretches at a time.

But technical excellence and practical usefulness are different things.

The most common pattern among Vision Pro owners — and this comes up repeatedly in developer forums and user communities — is enthusiastic daily use for two to three weeks, followed by a gradual decline to occasional use. The weight (600-650 grams on the face) is the most cited reason. Extended sessions of more than an hour become uncomfortable for most users, regardless of which strap configuration they use.

The other persistent issue is isolation. Wearing a Vision Pro in a shared space creates a social barrier that most people find awkward. Apple’s EyeSight feature was meant to address this. In practice, it’s more unsettling than helpful.

Developer Adoption: Slow but Targeted

The visionOS app ecosystem has grown steadily but not explosively. As of mid-2025, there are roughly 2,500 native visionOS apps. The apps that work well fall into a few categories:

Productivity tools. Apps that give you multiple large virtual monitors are genuinely useful for monitoring dashboards or reviewing visual content.

3D visualisation. Architecture firms and medical imaging specialists have found real value in viewing 3D models at scale. JigSpace and Shapr3D are standout examples.

Immersive media. Apple’s own Immersive Video content is stunning, and apps like Disney+ offer spatial experiences that hint at the future of entertainment.

Developer interest has been lukewarm in gaming (Meta’s ecosystem is far larger) and general consumer apps (where the iPhone version works fine).

Enterprise Use Cases: Where It Gets Interesting

The most compelling Vision Pro story is happening in enterprise, though it’s early days.

Several global consulting and technology firms have been running pilots, and the use cases that are gaining traction include:

• Remote expert assistance. Field technicians wearing a Vision Pro can share their view with remote specialists who annotate their field of vision in real time. SAP and Porsche have both demonstrated this capability.
• Design review. Automotive and aerospace companies are using Vision Pro for collaborative 3D design reviews, replacing expensive physical prototypes with spatial models.
• Medical imaging. Surgeons reviewing CT and MRI scans in three dimensions before procedures, with early pilots at several US hospitals.

For Australian businesses evaluating spatial computing for complex workflows, working with an AI consultancy that understands both the technology and the practical integration challenges can make the difference between a successful pilot and an expensive demo.

The Australian Availability Problem

This is the elephant in the room for Australian readers. As of April 2025, the Vision Pro is still not officially available in Australia. Apple has launched in the US, UK, France, Germany, China, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, but Australia remains absent from the rollout schedule.

The practical implications:

• No Apple Store support. If something goes wrong, you’re shipping it internationally.
• No local AppleCare. Extended warranty and repair services aren’t available.
• Prescription lens inserts. Zeiss optical inserts need to be ordered through US channels, adding cost and complexity.
• Content restrictions. Some immersive content and features are geo-restricted.

Australians who want a Vision Pro are importing through third-party reshippers or buying during international travel. The US price of $3,499 USD translates to roughly $5,400 AUD before shipping and any import duties, making it an expensive proposition even by Apple standards.

What Apple Needs to Fix

For the Vision Pro to become more than a remarkable tech demo, Apple needs to address several things in the next generation:

Weight. This is non-negotiable. The device needs to be at least 30% lighter to enable comfortable extended use.

Price. A more accessible model in the $1,500-$2,000 USD range would dramatically expand the addressable market. Rumours of a cheaper “Vision” model without the Pro features persist but remain unconfirmed.

Killer app. The Vision Pro still lacks that one application that makes people say “I need this.” The Mac Virtual Display feature comes closest, but it’s not enough on its own.

Australian launch. Simply being available through official channels with proper support would remove the biggest barrier to local adoption.

The Honest Assessment

The Apple Vision Pro is a genuinely impressive piece of technology that’s searching for its purpose. The hardware is ahead of the software ecosystem, and the price limits it to enthusiasts and well-funded enterprise pilots.

For Australian businesses, the practical advice is to watch closely but hold off on major investment. When the second generation launches and Apple brings it to Australia, that will be the time for serious evaluation. In the meantime, Meta’s Quest 3 at a fraction of the price offers a more practical entry point for most use cases.

The Vision Pro is a preview of where computing is heading. It’s just not quite there yet.