Apple’s mixed-reality headset is selling well, but it’s embroiled in a new mystery that’s proving tough to crack.
As first reported by MacRumors, some customers have discovered a mysterious crack appearing vertically down the center of the front-facing screen on their Vision Pro headsets. The reports have come from only a small number of users, most of them talking about it on Reddit, which can be an unreliable source. That said, Engadget reports that the same crack has occurred on its review unit. The folks affected say they haven’t mishandled the devices—there’s been no dropping or smashing that could create the crack in the laminated glass screen. So it’s not yet clear what exactly is causing the problem, or whether it actually affects the performance of the Vision Pro.
WIRED reached out to Apple to ask about the cracks on the Apple Vision Pro’s front screen and what could be causing them, but the company hasn’t responded.
Apple has chosen to make its first headset out of premium materials like aluminum and glass that have resulted in the device being both heavy and less durable. For an example of how it stands up to stress, take this video of YouTuber JerryRigsEverthing absolutely demolishing an Apple Vision Pro headset. (Spoiler alert: It doesn’t do well if you set it on fire.)
Here’s some other consumer tech news.
Apple Sports a New App
This week, Apple announced a dedicated app for sports lovers. It’s called—wait for it—Apple Sports. The app is free on iOS, and it gives iPhone users access to real-time sports scores. It can be used to track scores and stats from some professional and college leagues, like Major League Soccer, NBA and NCAA basketball, Premier League soccer, and NHL hockey. Notably missing are other sports giants like the MLB, NFL, NCAAF, NWSL, and WNBA, though Apple says those leagues are coming to the app soon for their upcoming seasons.
The app lets users filter and customize the scoreboards to show their favorite teams. It’s also meant to push users toward watching games on Apple TV, with the inclusion of a “Watch on Apple TV” button in the app. While the iPhone app is free, streaming the games usually requires a subscription.
Apply PC Games Directly to the Forehead
In other VR news, Sony says it is testing out making its newest VR headset compatible with PC games. Sony’s PS VR2 came out a year ago, and while it’s a fun, powerful device, it received some criticism for requiring a tethered connection to a PS5 console. Now, Sony is exploring the idea of letting players utilize the headset for gameplay on PCs as well.
The announcement was buried a few paragraphs into an update about new games coming to Sony’s console platform. The company didn’t share any details about which PC games it is testing on PS VR2, or when such a feature might become available.
Still, it’s a welcome cross-platform move that may bring Sony a step closer to ending the console wars. That’s probably not the company’s immediate goal here, but it is not the first move by a gaming company on the interoperability front. Last week, the Xbox team announced that several of its previously exclusive console games will soon be made available on other platforms like PlayStation and the Nintendo Switch.
What Are You Dune 2 Night?
Swiss luxury watchmaker Hamilton has unveiled two new timepieces inspired by director Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune sequel. As you might expect, they look like something that’s arrived straight from Arakkis. (That’s the Dune planet.) The exterior is a rugged matte black, with bright blue numbers and watch hands meant to evoke the color of the eyes of the Fremens. (They’re the Dune people.) The triangular shape of the case is an evolution of Hamilton’s Ventura model, which was first introduced in the 1950s.
The Ventura XXL Bright costs $1,810 and is limited to 3,000 total units. The Ventura Edge Dune watch is $2,553 and is limited to 2,000 total pieces. Dune: Part Two opens next Friday, March 1.
Tech Trouble
It’s a rough time to be in the tech industry for a lot of workers, especially those who have been swept up in the great wave of layoffs that have happened so far this year. In a matter of weeks, tens of thousands of tech workers lost their jobs. Companies of all sizes have made cuts recently, including Google, Amazon, Discord, and Instacart. It’s a stark shift for an industry that grew by enticing employees with extravagant campuses and benevolent benefits. Now, faced with a glut of job seekers, companies have gotten very particular about who they hire. It’s harder than ever to land a tech job, and both sides of the interview table are getting creative about how they approach the other. (Yeah, they’re probably all using AI.)
This latest episode of WIRED’s Gadget Lab podcast dives into the plight of tech workers, and how getting a job and keeping one have become much more precarious.