Apple Vision Pro customers face a 25-minute in-store sales pitch

Posted:
in Apple Vision Pro edited January 14

Apple customers wanting to buy an Apple Vision Pro may have to sit through a lengthy sales pitch, including a 25-minute in-store demonstration on how to use the headset.

Apple Vision Pro at Apple Park
Apple Vision Pro at Apple Park



The Apple Vision Pro will be available to customers from February 2 in a number of Apple Store locations across the United States. While consumers may expect a bit of a lengthy appointment for a $3,499 hardware purchase, it is likely that the process will be a lot longer than first thought.

In Sunday's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman writes that Apple has prepared an entire demonstration of the headset for consumers, one that can last up to 25 minutes in length. The process was taught to a number of store employees in Cupertino earlier in January, who then returned to their respective locations to teach their colleagues.

At some of Apple's largest stores, more than a dozen demo units will be available at any one time, in order to cope with the presumed amount of appointments for the Apple Vision Pro.

Before the demo, a worker will scan the user's face with an app in a way that's similar to setting up Face ID. The app will tell the employee the light seal, foam cushion, and band size to match the customer's head and face.

There will also be a scan of the user's glasses, if they wear them, so that the right prescription lenses are placed into the headset. Once gathered, the information is provided to a worker in a back room to assemble the demo unit.

The employee will then explain how the customer interacts with the user interface, including using eye detection and gestures to select items, how to hold the headset, adjusting the Fit Dial, and using the Digital Crown. The employee will use an iPad to see the user's view throughout the demo.

After a calibration period with tracking and tapping exercises, the 20 to 25-minute demonstration will actually begin.



During the demo, users will open the Photos app, which will lead into viewing Spatial Photos and Spatial Video. That's then followed by a demo showing how the Apple Vision Pro could be a Mac or iPad replacement, including positioning multiple app windows in 3D space and web scrolling in Safari.

A selection of 3D and immersive movies will then be shown, ranging from wild animal clips and a view of the ocean, to sports and a view from a tightrope.

The in-store headsets will also be preloaded with third-party apps, giving more of a taste of what they can do with the headset.

For actually purchasing the headset, the process will be different. After the face scan, the retail employee will box together the correct elements at the point of sale.

Though customers will be urged to visit a store to try the headset out, they will still be able to buy the Apple Vision Pro online. A version of the face scan system will be supplied to online customers, before the headsets are shipped to them.

As well as the demo areas, a dedicated Vision Pro table will also be available to view, but not use, with between two and four units displayed on the table.

The intensive demonstration may be Apple trying to play it as safe as possible with the launch of the major new product and platform. With a high price and it potentially being the first time many customers will use a virtual reality or mixed reality headset, it's a high-stakes moment that Apple wants to be as successful as possible for the Apple Vision Pro's future.

Rumor Score: Likely

Read on AppleInsider

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 68
    Sounds like the right way to approach it. You also don’t want a bunch of randoms trying it out just for kicks and potentially braking something. Basically you want serious or just interested parties trying it on. 
    gregoriusm9secondkox2damn_its_hotwilliamlondonjas99byronlPancakemacguibaconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 68
    What a nightmare. 

    Th logistics and the jumping through hoops just get a potential or actual customer to “understand” is indicative of something that doesn’t need to be shipped. The UX team should have handled this in a setup wizard. 

    I don’t even want to imagine what irate tirade Jobs would have gone off on. 

    Unbelievable. 
    edited January 14 nubusdesignrgrandact73
  • Reply 3 of 68
    Anilu_777 said:
    Sounds like the right way to approach it. You also don’t want a bunch of randoms trying it out just for kicks and potentially braking something. Basically you want serious or just interested parties trying it on. 
    You mean like they do every other Apple product? Going in and trying something is one of the ways you discover a desire to purchase. 

    A supervised demo is fine for a fragile device. But a 25 minute speech means something’s wrong. 

    The whole thing is starting to look convoluted 
    designrgrandact73
  • Reply 4 of 68
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,142member
    This is exactly what I was hoping for...so long as this demo/ "sales pitch" is free. When the lines drop a bit, I'm going to sign up for this and go see for myself. If a fee is charged to do so, then nope. 

    One thing I've sorta wondered about is if someone will make a business out of AVP rentals at airports. I'm guessing it has "find my" in it; and like iPads used as restaurant menu, you can lock down the software available to a user with a passcode. A large credit card deposit, pick up with a list of movies/entertainment to choose from along with a fitting by the vendor, drop off at the destination (and if you "forget" you can choose a box to be sent to your home to return it...for a fee.) Might be sorta popular...and expensive.
    9secondkox2jas99byronlwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 68
    retrogustoretrogusto Posts: 1,137member
    The last two times I bought iPhones at the Apple Store, I knew exactly what I wanted and was in a hurry but still couldn’t get out of there in less than an hour, due to the wait for a salesperson, then all of the talking they wanted to do, then bringing the phone out from the back and ringing up the purchase. Pretty frustrating, since I wasn’t really expecting it. So 25 minutes in this case sounds downright speedy. 
    williamlondonWhiskeyAPPLEciderbyronlwatto_cobraappleinsideruser
  • Reply 6 of 68
    Will there be a written test?
    williamlondon9secondkox2designrbyronlbaconstangwatto_cobragrandact73
  • Reply 7 of 68
    My original plan, when I saw the product intro, was to buy the Vision Pro when it came out this year. But I have now decided to give it a pass. A hard pass. This product is not going much of anywhere. It will have some important niche uses, but even that will take a few years. (If you think I am mistaken, do correct me; the general level of "meh" as reflected in the lack of enthusiasm for it in this forum supports my views).

    As a shareholder and a four-decade customer of Apple, I truly hope Cook et al. have something more needle-moving up their sleeves as a next product or service. 

    For the first time since the early-to-mid 90s, I am worried about Apple's growth prospects or rather, the seeming lack of any. Revenues have been flatlining-to-declining, and I hope that does not continue (although I am pessimistic, at least over the next year).
    williamlondon9secondkox2h2pmacplusplusgrandact73muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 8 of 68
    zeus423zeus423 Posts: 269member
    There was also a "Mouse Practice" application to help people learn how to use a mouse.
    jas99eriamjhbyronlchasmwatto_cobraappleinsideruser
  • Reply 9 of 68
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,737member
    My original plan, when I saw the product intro, was to buy the Vision Pro when it came out this year. But I have now decided to give it a pass. A hard pass. This product is not going much of anywhere. It will have some important niche uses, but even that will take a few years. (If you think I am mistaken, do correct me; the general level of "meh" as reflected in the lack of enthusiasm for it in this forum supports my views).

    As a shareholder and a four-decade customer of Apple, I truly hope Cook et al. have something more needle-moving up their sleeves as a next product or service. 

    For the first time since the early-to-mid 90s, I am worried about Apple's growth prospects or rather, the seeming lack of any. Revenues have been flatlining-to-declining, and I hope that does not continue (although I am pessimistic, at least over the next year).
    9secondkox2anantksundarammacplusplus
  • Reply 10 of 68
    Rogue01Rogue01 Posts: 179member
    A 25 minute sales pitch.  So it is like getting suckered into a timeshare purchase.

    Yeah, Apple has a lot of convincing to do.  No one has interest in the AR space, and $3500 isn't going to convince anyone for running iPad apps in 'space'.

    The iPhone solved a problem.  This solves nothing.
    williamlondon9secondkox2designrmacplusplusgrandact73
  • Reply 11 of 68
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,142member
    Rogue01 said:
    A 25 minute sales pitch.  So it is like getting suckered into a timeshare purchase.

    Yeah, Apple has a lot of convincing to do.  No one has interest in the AR space, and $3500 isn't going to convince anyone for running iPad apps in 'space'.

    The iPhone solved a problem.  This solves nothing.
    I didn't know I had a problem with my phone when iPhone came out. I saw the price and said, literally out loud, "yeah right...for a phone?"

    And then....
    byronl9secondkox2StrangeDaysbaconstangh2pwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 68
    My original plan, when I saw the product intro, was to buy the Vision Pro when it came out this year. But I have now decided to give it a pass. A hard pass. This product is not going much of anywhere. It will have some important niche uses, but even that will take a few years. (If you think I am mistaken, do correct me; the general level of "meh" as reflected in the lack of enthusiasm for it in this forum supports my views).

    As a shareholder and a four-decade customer of Apple, I truly hope Cook et al. have something more needle-moving up their sleeves as a next product or service. 

    For the first time since the early-to-mid 90s, I am worried about Apple's growth prospects or rather, the seeming lack of any. Revenues have been flatlining-to-declining, and I hope that does not continue (although I am pessimistic, at least over the next year).
    I don’t get it. What changed between watching the intro and now? I don’t know if it will be worth the money, but I might buy one. I would probably use it to watch TV shows and movies and web surfing. I agree with you that it is a niche product, but I knew that after watching the intro.
    9secondkox2williamlondonStrangeDaysbaconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 68
    XedXed Posts: 2,860member
    Not the first time a tutorial for a new usage model from Apple.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvcwFYPiKKA
    edited January 14 9secondkox2jas99williamlondonbyronlmeterestnzwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 68
    zeus423 said:
    There was also a "Mouse Practice" application to help people learn how to use a mouse.
    That’s the way to do it. Not standing in a store with a drill sergeant putting you through your paces. 
  • Reply 15 of 68
    Xed said:
    Not the first time a tutorial for a new usage model from Apple.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvcwFYPiKKA
    Watching a video from home or even better-using a built-in app (which would be a credit to the UX team) would be a win. Just like the old mouse. 

    But this isn’t that. It’s you having to go to some unlicensed venue and be lectured by s stranger. 

    Not a good start. 
    designrbyronl
  • Reply 16 of 68
    My original plan, when I saw the product intro, was to buy the Vision Pro when it came out this year. But I have now decided to give it a pass. A hard pass. This product is not going much of anywhere. It will have some important niche uses, but even that will take a few years. (If you think I am mistaken, do correct me; the general level of "meh" as reflected in the lack of enthusiasm for it in this forum supports my views).

    As a shareholder and a four-decade customer of Apple, I truly hope Cook et al. have something more needle-moving up their sleeves as a next product or service. 

    For the first time since the early-to-mid 90s, I am worried about Apple's growth prospects or rather, the seeming lack of any. Revenues have been flatlining-to-declining, and I hope that does not continue (although I am pessimistic, at least over the next year).
    Even if you are interested in the product category it is probably better to just wait to see how it pans out first.
    jas99byronl
  • Reply 17 of 68
    nubusnubus Posts: 597member
    What a nightmare. 

    Th logistics and the jumping through hoops just get a potential or actual customer to “understand” is indicative of something that doesn’t need to be shipped. The UX team should have handled this in a setup wizard. 
    This is a double nightmare. First engineers were moved away from products we need. Now sales staff are taken away as well. It could easily hold back new iPads, MacBook Air that goes beyond 2022 tech, iPhone SE with USB C - and all other products without USB C. And the products we get will do less. If iMac M3 and MBP M3 are indicative the upgrades will be very limited in scope.
    williamlondon9secondkox2h2p
  • Reply 18 of 68
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,752member
    This is a way of reducing the returns from people who "have no idea" how it is supposed to work.

    How long before refurbed VPs are available?

    I'll continue to reserve judgement for that killer app I can't live without.
    byronlbaconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 68
    XedXed Posts: 2,860member
    designr said:
    1. $3,500
    2. Face-scanning to size it.
    3. Half-hour sales pitch.
    Could they possibly put anymore friction on the customer path?

    That sounds like a first class experience to idealize a product for the buyer. 

    I forget which in-ear headphone maker would send a person to you to get a mold of your ear canal for a custom fit, but that was a thing it and it was expensive. I'm not sure that's still a thing, but plenty of makers offer in-home kids for takin a mold. Based on your comment that's also friction over just supplying 3 different in-ear tip sizes. I know those custom fit one also cost a lot more than even your typical high-end options but that's shouldn't be shocking.

    Then you have this "sales pitch" so people can know how to use and experience this new way of computing without tit being frustrating or missing key features/uses, both of  which will lead to the product not being used. This is no different than a luxury car maker giving you an in-depth experience of the car you want to purchase and the car you do purchase, even if you are sold on it.
    edited January 14 macxpress9secondkox2chasmbaconstangbyronlwilliamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 68
    Anilu_777 said:
    Sounds like the right way to approach it. You also don’t want a bunch of randoms trying it out just for kicks and potentially braking something. Basically you want serious or just interested parties trying it on. 
    You mean like they do every other Apple product? Going in and trying something is one of the ways you discover a desire to purchase. 

    A supervised demo is fine for a fragile device. But a 25 minute speech means something’s wrong. 

    The whole thing is starting to look convoluted 
    25 min speech? 

    Either you didn’t read the article or you didn’t understand it. 


    9secondkox2baconstangbyronlwilliamlondonwatto_cobra
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