Will the Apple Vision Pro Revolutionize the Workplace?

The future is not just on the horizon – it’s already here. The Apple Vision Pro is set to hit US buyers within two weeks and questions are buzzing around what capabilities the tech will offer, especially in the workplace.

When Apple announced and demoed its Vision Pro, they hammered in the tech’s potential to completely alter our work paradigms with advanced features and capabilities. They specifically noted that their virtual reality (VR) is no longer confined to gaming or entertainment industries, instead it’s poised to make a significant impact in the professional world.

For IT Directors, the best case scenario would be a highly functional piece of tech that boosts productivity, engages employees, and unlocks dynamic product work. But if we temper our expectations, what will this VR product be able to offer right away? Let’s delve deeper into the fascinating prospects of Apple’s Vision Pro and the how it’s slated to transform the working world.

Understanding the features of Apple Vision Pro 

The first step in assessing the potential impact of the Apple Vision Pro in the workplace is understanding its features and capabilities.  

Stripping back the buzz of potential applications, let’s get literal. Apple Vision Pro is currently unable to support most popular games and apps, probably an intentional decision that tracks with Apple’s circular ecosystem and marketing push to get Vision Pro’s in the workplace. The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern, early adopted of the tech, uses it primarily for immersive messaging through a virtual keyboard with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

For now, let’s block out recreational use. In a professional setting, the headset can:

• Display both virtual and augmented reality content
• Enable web browsing
• AR/vision powered data
• AR enabled workflows on Microsoft Suite
• Code with Runestone
• Project Manage with Box, Omnifocus
• Dynamic meetings with Teams, Zoom, WebEx

Its ultra-high-resolution display system packs 23 million pixels across two displays, providing a level of detail and immersion unprecedented in personal devices. Feature-wise, impressive. The greatest barrier we anticipate, no surprise, is the cost of entry.

Apple Vision Pro in the Workplace

Bluntly – the cost is a major barrier to implementation in the workplace. Each headset is priced at over £3,500, and the usability of tech requires most, if not all, employees on a team to utilize their own headsets.

Realistically, orgs will buy a few headsets and share use among employees. That limits many features above, but still leaves openings for product, UX, and coding teams to check out the tech. Considering the device’s advanced features and potential impact on productivity, it could still be a worthwhile investment for many organizations– especially tech companies in the augmented reality industry or design-centric product.

Implications for IT Security 

While the Apple Vision Pro holds great potential, it also brings new challenges in terms of IT security. The device’s connectivity and data storage capabilities could potentially expose organizations to new cybersecurity risks.  

The device is designed with multiple depth sensors, cameras, and microphones to track the environment of the wearer–which is necessary to create a safe and functional immersion experience. The downside is that it also collects information about the room the user is present in. 

From a cybersecurity perspective in the workplace, the Apple Vision Pro could breach the privacy of an office or building by collecting enough information to map out a high-security environment from the inside. 

Investing in robust security measures, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption tools, is crucial for safeguarding digital assets but may not be enough due to the unique privacy risks that the Apple Vision Pro creates. 

If implemented, regular training sessions should be conducted to educate employees about potential risks and best practices for using the device as securely as possible for the time being. 

Distilled

As an IT Director, it is your duty to guide and protect the technological evolution of your organisation. The Apple Vision Pro offers significant potential for many tech leaders yet, with its hefty price and potential privacy risks, it’s like not a product most organisations will be implementing immediately.