The Apple Vision Pro Will Probably Still Need A Physical Keyboard

Part of the appeal of the Apple Vision Pro was that it can be used both as an entertainment device, as well as one for work. For the latter, in addition to virtual screens, the headset also provides a virtual keyboard to be used alongside. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg doesn’t have a flattering description of it though, so using the headset for work may still require a wireless keyboard.

The description didn’t come as part of the usual weekly newsletter, but instead as a post on X, previously Twitter. In it, Gurman has described the virtual keyboard of the Apple Vision Pro as “a complete write-off”, which is about as damning as it gets. The reason for the harsh description is explained by the need to “poke each key one finger at a time like you did before you learned how to type”. Which will more than likely translate to a slow pace for work that involves typing.

The Vision Pro virtual keyboard is a complete write-off at least in 1.0. You have to poke each key one finger at a time like you did before you learned how to type. There is no magical in-air typing. You can also look at a character and pinch. You’ll want a Bluetooth keyboard.

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) January 12, 2024

Interaction with the Apple Vision Pro without additional accessories is done pretty much entirely via gestures, which the headset detects via a few cameras pointing downwards. The iPhone maker has shown that it has gone to great lengths to replicate the experience of using a keyboard, from lifting the virtual keys above the plate, as well as using spatial sound to compensate for the missing physical feedback. But judging from Gurman’s comment, the one element that is still lacking is the ability to register rapid successive inputs at the pace that a physical keyboard can.

For those who have the opportunity to mess around with the Apple Vision Pro, you’ll probably need to have a Mac-friendly keyboard lying around, or maybe just a Magic Keyboard. That being said, the company has not yet said when, or even if, the headset will be making its way to our shores.

(Source: Mark Gurman / X, Apple)

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