Worried about the Vision Pro being left on a bar floor, Apple has put safeguards in place
You might remember that back in April 2010 an iPhone 4 was discovered on the floor of a bar in San Jose. Since the phone was still six months away from being introduced, Apple tried to disguise the phone in a case. Since no one except those working on the device inside Apple had any idea what the redesigned handset would look like, there were questions at first about its authenticity. But it really was an iPhone 4 with a new design that Steve Jobs would later compare to a "beautiful old Leica camera."
From 2010-2013, every year one unannounced phone was discovered at a bar
You can conjure up in your mind-and many did at the time-what Jobs might do to the poor bastard who left the iPhone 4 behind. Not only did he forget to keep it on his person, he left it on the floor of the bar. Certainly, nothing like this would happen again, right? Wrong! About 15 months later an iPhone 5 prototype was left behind at the Cava22 bar in San Francisco. But leaving test units of unreleased handsets at bars was not something unique to Apple employees.
This iPhone 4 prototype was found in a bar six months before it was unveiled
In September 2012, a Google Nexus 4 was found in a bar in San Francisco followed the next year by the discovery of an LG Nexus 5 that was found at a bar. As far as we can tell, that was the last time a major smartphone was left at a bar before being unveiled. But think about this, from 2010 to 2013 there was one unannounced handset that was left behind at a bar every year. Two of the incidents took place in San Francisco.
Now that Apple is taking applications from Vision Pro app developers looking to build apps for VisionOS, it means that the Vision Pro will soon be carried around by people outside of Apple, How will Apple make sure that its $3499 spatial computer isn't left on the floor of some speakeasy in San Francisco?
Here’s the form a developer will need to fill out when they are approved for a Vision Pro development kit + the Measure and Fit app that uses the camera to determine head band and light seal size. Lenses will come from Zeiss directly. pic.twitter.com/TG7Zuzgcay
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) July 27, 2023
According to a tweet from Bloomberg's triple threat Mark Gurman (print, television, and podcasts), once a developer is approved by Apple to receive a Vision Pro, he will need to fill out a form with all of his sizing information. This data will be computed by using the Measure and Fit app which employs the device's camera to determine the headband size and the size of the headset's light seal. The lenses will come directly from Zeiss.
Apple will place an AirTag on the headsets to help it monitor their locations
Not only will the developer have to agree to strict rules put in place by Apple to prevent Vision Pro developer kits (DK) from being diverted, but MacRumors reports that an Apple AirTag will be attached to the headsets to keep tabs on them. The headset will be locked in a Pelican case that needs to be locked when it is not in use.
Per 9to5Mac, this is what Apple, not taking any chances, is telling the developers who get to take a Vision Pro out of the safe confines of Cupertino:
"You agree that all access to, usage of, and storage use of the DK will be in a private, secure workspace accessible only by You and Your Authorized Developers (e.g., fully enclosed with solid doors, floors, walls and ceiling, and locks that can be engaged when the DK is in use). You must ensure that unauthorized persons (including any family, friends, roommates or household employees) do not access, view, handle, or use the DK.
When in use, the DK should be in your positive control (on your person or within Your direct line of sight) at all times. You must ensure the DK is passcode protected. Never leave the DK unattended. When not in use, turn off the DK and store it in its locked Pelican case in a locked space that only You have access to (e.g., a locked room or closet, a safe or locked drawer).
The DK may not be moved from or taken away from its ship-to address by You or Your Authorized Developers without Apple’s prior written consent. If You will be away from Your workspace for more than 10 days, consult with Your Apple point of contact about how to keep the DK safe while You are away. You agree to restrict access to the DK to You and Your Authorized Developers, and to take all reasonable precautions to safeguard the DK from loss or theft."
When in use, the DK should be in your positive control (on your person or within Your direct line of sight) at all times. You must ensure the DK is passcode protected. Never leave the DK unattended. When not in use, turn off the DK and store it in its locked Pelican case in a locked space that only You have access to (e.g., a locked room or closet, a safe or locked drawer).
The DK may not be moved from or taken away from its ship-to address by You or Your Authorized Developers without Apple’s prior written consent. If You will be away from Your workspace for more than 10 days, consult with Your Apple point of contact about how to keep the DK safe while You are away. You agree to restrict access to the DK to You and Your Authorized Developers, and to take all reasonable precautions to safeguard the DK from loss or theft."
Will we end up hearing about a Vision Pro headset that some developer thought would be cool to take with him while out drinking? Yes, the temptation to show your buddies has to be pretty high. But if someone fails to follow Apple's strict rules, it surely will be the last time that this developer is trusted by Apple. The document that these developers are given makes it clear that anyone unauthorized to access, view, or handle the DK, including family, friends and household employees, must be kept away while the DK is in use.
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Things that are NOT allowed: