When Apple announced the first Vision Pro at WWDC 2023, it talked about the advent of spatial computing and an entirely new device class. But the $5,999 price tag and the lack of compelling apps have resulted in low sales. Apple faces being bundled out of the augmented and virtual reality race as the Meta Quest sells for just $799.99 and Samsung’s new Galaxy XR comes in at roughly half the price of the Vision Pro.
Comparing the Vision Pro, Meta Quest and Galaxy XR
There’s a significant technical difference between these three devices. Let’s take a look at some of the key specs.
| Vision Pro | Meta Quest 3 | Galaxy XR | |
| Memory | 256GB, 512GB or 1TB storage | 8GB memory 512G storage | 16GB memory 256GB storage |
| Display | 23 million pixels 3D display system Micro‑OLED 7.5‑micron pixel pitch 92% DCI‑P3 Supported refresh rates: 90Hz, 96Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz | 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye 4K+ Infinite Display with 25 PPD and 1218 PPI Refresh rates: 72 Hz, 90 Hz, 120 Hz. Field of View: 110 degrees horizontal and 96 degrees vertical | 3,552 x 3,840, 27 million pixels Micro-OLED 6.3‑micron pixel pitch 95% DCI‑P3 Refresh rates: 60Hz, 72Hz (Default), 90Hz (Up to, upon service request) Field of View 109 degrees horizontal and 100 degrees vertical |
| Chip | M5 | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 | Snapdragon® XR2+ Gen 2 Platform |
| Audio | Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking Personalised Spatial Audio and audio ray tracing Six‑mic array with directional beamforming | Integrated stereo speakers with 3D spatial audio | Two, 2-way speaker(Woofer + Tweeter) Six Microphone array |
| Battery | External battery Up to 2.5 hours of general use | Internal battery Up to 2.2 hours of usage on average | External battery Up to 2 hours of general use Video watching up to 2.5 hours |
| Weight | 750g-800g | 515g | 545g (battery pack is 302g) |
When you look into the details, there’s no doubt the Vision Pro is by far, the more technically advanced device. It boasts a faster processor, more storage, a greater array of sensors and superior display technology. visionOS is maturing as an operating system while Android XR, the software jointly developed by Samsung, Google and Qualcomm for the Galaxy XR is very new. The Meta Quest 3 runs Android.
Vision Pro uses eye and hand tracking for control, while the Meta Quest 3 has hand controllers that resemble those used with a Wii gaming console. The Galaxy XR, which has Google’s Gemini AI platform tightly integrated, uses voice, vision and gestures for control.
Why Vision Pro fails
Vision Pro is a technical marvel. It packs in a raft of advanced technology that shows off Apple’s engineering prowess. But it feels like an engineering project.
In the movie Big, featuring Tom Hanks, there’s a scene where the boy trapped in a man’s body creates a toy that is packed with all the imagination a kid can muster. But it’s so expensive that there’s little change anyone will buy it.
Sound familiar?
The reason Meta’s two headsets, the Meta Quest 3 and the lower-spec Meta Quest 3s, outsell the Vision Pro has nothing to do with technical superiority. It’s about affordability. Meta has made a product that is accessible to a mass market. I could buy a Meta Quest 3 for each member of my household and still have $2800 left over.
The Galaxy XR will also do well. While it’s an expensive device – don’t expect any change from $3200 once it comes to Australia – it’s in the same price range as a premium laptop. That puts it into the luxury item category but not in the used car price bracket.
Apple’s strategy for VR is flailing
Apple’s market advantage, in most segments, is to deliver what it’s able to market as a superior product to a loyal customer base. But the Vision Pro has stretched that relationship with customers to its limit.
There was talk that Apple would release a lower cost version of Vision Pro dubbed the Vision Air. But those plans seem to have been shelved in favour of a pair of smart glasses to rival the recently announced Meta Ray-Ban Display. When it comes to virtual reality and smart glasses, Apple seems to be caught in a game of whack-a-mole and doesn’t know which way to turn.
The Vision Air, could have been a competitor to the Galaxy XR. Perhaps Samsung’s announcement today, at its Galaxy Unpacked event [YouTube link] will cause another pivot.
But faced with a fast-moving competitive landscape and weighed down by an expensive product, Apple may find the Vision Pro goes the same way as the Apple Hi-Fi – a great product that no-one bought.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.