Here’s how some are using Apple Vision Pro for work
When Kirimgeray Kirimli first tried on a pair of Apple Vision Pros, he immediately ordered three: one for himself, and two for his team members.
Kirimli – the president of Flatiron Software, a company focused on web and application development – believed that to stay on par with evolving technology, it would be crucial for them to have a pair of the glasses themselves.
Apple launched the Vision Pro headset in early February, marketing it as a spatial computing solution. It has two displays, one for each eye, with 23 million pixels across both and a custom 3D lens that ensures that the user interface always remains in view. It has built-in earbuds that project audio onto your ears and an external OLED panel (the display tech used in screens) that displays your eyes and face recorded by internal cameras.
You can use them to do a mix of activities including watching a movie, scrolling the internet, or even answering emails. It’s the latter function that’s gotten people like Kirimli excited – can this be a workplace tool that boosts productivity? There are about 30 Vision Pro apps for work, including Adobe, Microsoft, Webex by Cisco, and more. Apple also created Vision Pro-specific versions of Calendar, Mail, Messages and FaceTime to help users stay organized.
We spoke to Kirimli and others to hear how they already are using the Apple Vision Pro to change how they work.
Work from anywhere has a new meaning
People are still working remotely, but “work from anywhere” usually still means being tied to a desk. However, it doesn’t have to anymore. “The headset breaks down barriers for employees, whether working remotely or hybrid and provides users with the ability to coexist in a common place regardless of physical location,” said Kirimli.
Aneesh Kulkarni , CTO of Strivr, a VR/immersive corporate/enterprise learning platform for job training, says that as of right now, he uses his Vision Pro in two-hour bursts. One way he’s using it is to mirror what’s on his Mac. Opening up work apps on your Vision Pro allows for an infinite canvas to interact with your most frequently used office app.
“At home, I have a large monitor, but sometimes I’m also traveling and have a shared workspace and just have my laptop,” said Kulkarni. “I mirror my Mac to have a much larger area to work.”
Jeetu Patel, evp and general manager of security and collaboration at Cisco, plans to use it the same way. “When I’m traveling, this is going to be a massive unblock for me,” he said. He used the Vision Pro for the last six to seven months while building the Webex by Cisco app and is now waiting for his own pair to arrive.
“People like me who are traveling a lot, I do find that when I’m not at home in my regular setup, my productivity drops if I’m just on a small laptop,” said Patel. “I think what Apple has introduced with the Vision Pro will be transformative for people in hybrid work. You don’t need to have as much real estate with your desk because you can wear the Vision Pro and have an infinite screen display.”
You can do things like live inside your PowerPoint or practice presentations as if you were already in front of a boardroom or on stage. However, Kirimli warns that it’s not perfect for everything yet. For example, he doesn’t use his headset as much as he would like during the workday because he’s usually on video calls. While he can join from his Vision Pros, he would have to be an avatar.
“I want to make sure my face is visible and with an avatar, I’m not a big fan,” said Kirimli.
Kulkarni agrees that this drawback is significant. “It doesn’t look like me at all. That’s not what I want to show to who I’m talking to,” he said.
However, Zoom said that later this spring, users will be able to pin up to five Zoom Meeting participants anywhere in their physical space, with the option to remove the background of pinned participants, allowing people to feel even more connected.
Enhanced learning and training experiences
Training and professional development are going to the next level. That’s exactly what Kulkarni is working on as they develop their app for the Vision Pro.
“If your brain is thinking that you’re actually there, you’re more likely to believe it and retain the information that is being presented or that you’re being trained on,” said Kulkarni. “For how to handle an escalation, why do you need to be transported to an artificial office? I’m in my office, why can’t I be trained here?”
And he’s not the only one who agrees that training is a perfect spot to use the Vision Pro.
“Giving employees access to immersive training experiences, simulating real-world scenarios for hands-on practice without the risks or costs associated with physical environments,” said Vlad Parnov, global head of Web3 at digital agency Publicis Sapient. “Vision Pro is not the first headset that has all of this functionality. However, it currently has the best hardware for mixing real and virtual spaces with simpler controls and a much better spatial awareness.”
Employees can participate in interactive, immersive training sessions tailored to their learning preferences. That might mean instead of having to set 30 minutes aside for training, it’s incorporated into your workflow when you are wearing the Vision Pro.
“Imagine you could bring learning into your natural flow of work,” said Kulkarni.
Employee well-being ‘immersion’
Kulkarni says one of the biggest things he is using his Vision Pro for currently is meditation and mindfulness. There are apps like Haelium, designed to encourage employees to take short breaks from work to engage in guided meditation sessions, experience calming virtual environments, or participate in light physical activities to reduce stress.
While many companies offer access to other apps like Headspace, this would truly transport workers to a new place for ultimate rejuvenation. Apple has its own mindfulness app that lets users focus on the present through breathing and reflection exercises. Being able to do all of that while at your desk could help reduce burnout and promote a happier and more productive work environment.
“I’m used to meditating with an app on my phone, but here on my headset I am completely immersed and there is no distraction,” said Kulkarni. “I’m trying to get as much out of meditation and this really helps.”