Apple Vision Pro fans are returning their headset as honeymoon period ends

Apple Vision Pro users seem done with the fun.

The new Apple Vision Pro has been all the rage on social media for the past few days. Those who managed to buy it were flaunting their new Vision Pro headset almost everywhere, but so were the people who captured their activities with the headset on. Consequently, platforms such as Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok saw an uptick in videos showing off the Vision Pro. Some people appreciated it, while some showed dislike (including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg), but even bad publicity is some publicity. Isn’t it? The Apple Vision Pro became an overnight star but its honeymoon seems to be getting over. Users who bought the Vision Pro out of excitement are now starting to return it.

The Verge has reported that people are returning to Apple Stores in the US to return their Vision Pro headset. Apple offers a 14-day return window for all its products, and the first wave of Vision Pro users are making the best use of that. Those who are returning the headset have common pain points and the one that stands out is comfort. A lot of users are not finding the Vision Pro comfortable to wear even for short periods. The weight of the device is not evenly distributed and mostly in the front, making the headset slightly unmanageable even with the strap — which Apple claimed can manage the headset’s weight when in use.

Health problems

Some users have gone on to say they experienced headaches and suffered motion sickness because of the headset, while some complained about itchy eyes and redness. Any VR headset can cause these problems, so the Vision Pro is not the only one to blame here. But that does not help when people are spending $3,499 on a headset. Many reviewers who tried the Apple Vision Pro pointed out the same issues and a few of them were not too confident about recommending it to people at least for the sake of comfort.

“Can’t wait to return the Vision Pro, probably the most mind blowing piece of tech I’ve ever tried. Can’t deal with these headaches after 10 minutes of use though,” said Rjey, who is a tech influencer. “If you bought the Vision Pro on the 2nd you have till Feb 16th to return it. Get you 5 grand back.”

Not useful?

Much like him, several other influencers and early adopters are not happy with the ergonomics of the headset. But only a few of them have also complained of how the Vision Pro is not very productive, especially relative to the price. One of the users said while looking at Figma screens caused dizziness, the headset was not very useful to their work either. According to an engineer, the “coding experience failed to convince” him, while focusing issues gave them headaches. One of the Sharks in Shark Tank Latin America and CEO of Torre, Alexander Torrenegra said he decided to pack the Vision pro back up again “two hours after unboxing” and using it. “It’s quite cool, but there’s nothing in it for me that I’ll use frequently enough to warrant my keeping it.”

It is unclear how these returns will impact the adoption of the Vision Pro in the future. While some people are optimistic that the second-generation Vision Pro device will have these issues ironed out, some are blaming the ecosystem that is not full of apps to maximise productivity and justify the price, at the same time. The Apple Vision Pro is available for $3,499 in the US currently, but the company is reportedly planning to introduce it in China with a different name.