William Gallagher
Unsurprisingly, Apple has a plan for just how to make sure technology reviewers learn about Apple Vision Pro, but there's now a schedule too.
When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, it was in such a weak position that it probably sent review units to anyone who'd write about it. Now with Apple Vision Pro, everything has changed and Apple aims to do all it can to ensure it gets the best press coverage it can.
For consumers, that's meant presenting a video teaser that has more than a nod to the original iPhone ad. For the industry, it's meant announcing the Vision Pro's shipping date during CES.
Now according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is also controlling just how and when reviewers get to see and use the Vision Pro.
Apple's carefully orchestrated Vision Pro reviews plan: a hands-on "experience" with chosen reviewers on Jan 16, a follow up meeting to go over the device again on Jan 23, device then shipped to reviewers. Reviews published at the end of the month. Nothing left to chance.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) January 9, 2024
It's not unusual for Apple to give a hands-on briefing to journalists, though it is unusual for them to give each journalist two. But reportedly that is what will happen, with the initial meeting on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, and the follow-up a week later.
Apple obviously can't control what any reviewer says about Vision Pro. But it can ensure that no one gives it a bad review just because they've put it on the wrong way, forgotten to plug in the battery, or that they've simply missed a key feature.
It's also likely that by having meetings before a reviewer gets a Vision Pro to try, that Apple can also make sure that the lenses are correct for each person. This is what stops Vision Pro being an entirely off-the-shelf purchase, the need to potentially have it adjusted with corrective or prescription lenses.
Wesley Hilliard
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
29 Comments
The MacRumors article title implied that Some will orchestrate the reviews themselves, instead of just doing two hands-on sessions with the reviewers. Thanks for the clearer and less sensational title and article.
Probably isn't going to be so special if you have to worry so much about negative reviews.
Regardless, this device will probably be well received, but it wouldn't be an iPhone replacement. Not for the next decade.
The last sentence is what will seriously hamper this product.
I always see the value of new Apple when others usually don’t. When everyone was crying over the iPad being an oversized iPhone I could see exactly what it could become.
This WOULD excite me. But doesn’t.
i really wish it would. But I use varifocals. And even if it WAS possible to use the vision pro the added cost would be just prohibitive :(