Apple's Vision Pro might be losing its charm, with reports indicating waning user interest

Apple's Vision Pro, which was unveiled at WWDC last year and released to the public early this year, has been the talk of the town when it comes to AR/VR gadgets. The device is easily amongst Apple's most anticipated product launches in years and has garnered widespread acclaim for its cutting-edge technologies, especially its dual 4K Micro-OLED displays. However, the device's shockingly high price tag - over 7 times more expensive than the Meta Quest 3 (curr. $499 on Amazon) and discomfort over prolonged use have been criticized by reviewers and the general public alike.

According to Mark Gurman's recent PowerOn newsletter, consumer interest in the Vision Pro seems to be dwindling, as indicated by a plunge in the demand for demos at Apple stores. He states that this is consistent with broader trends in the AR/VR industry, having always failed to maintain consumer excitement beyond the initial launch hype. According to Gurman, there is usually a spike of interest at launch, which eventually wears off as the 'wow-factor' diminishes.

Gurman also mentions his personal experience with the Vision Pro, stating that while he was initially using the device on a daily basis, his use has now dropped down to only about a few times a week. This drop, according to him, can be attributed to how cumbersome the device is to use, especially when compared to traditional laptops or TVs. Moreover, he also complains that the Vision Pro is notorious when it comes to cutting the user off from the 'real world' - making it awkward to be used around other people or even in public places. Also, the lack of a 'killer app' for the Vision Pro also adds to the device's woes.

Despite these concerns, it must be kept in mind that developers are hard at work exploring new applications for the Vision Pro. As they continue to come up with more apps, it is entirely possible that compelling new use cases and even the aforementioned 'killer app' might emerge, which would drive renewed interest in the product. Further, rumors regarding a more affordable version of the Vision Pro have been making rounds on the internet for a while now, and if true, could significantly broaden its appeal and might even facilitate its transition to a more mainstream device within the reach of an average consumer.