After the release, I quickly booked a consumer-level demo appointment at one of New York City’s many Apple Stores. Despite it being only a few days after the launch on Feb. 2, I had to book my demo a week in advance. Whether it’s a weekday, weekend, morning, afternoon, or evening, planning ahead is necessary as the booking for demos is currently available only until Feb. 18, and can be done only up to a week in advance. The company has not specified an end date for these demo sessions, but it’s a wait-and-see situation to gauge the duration of interest and Apple’s support for the intricate in-store demo setup.

Each station had its own tray magnetically attached to the seat, and staff, referred to as “Geniuses,” circulated, distributing headsets on bamboo platters. The location I chose was where Apple’s first Vision Pro customer, Aarish Syed, had a memorable experience receiving the VR headset. Despite being at 11 a.m. on a Monday, every station was fully booked. It’s essential to be punctual and check in with the roving staff managing the appointments.

The demo lasts for 30 minutes and is highly curated and somewhat limited. Before using the headset, Apple scans your face for a fitting seal, employing specific gestures during the demo. The emphasis is on spatial video and 3D content viewing experience. The demo also includes watching a short trailer for the 3D version of Super Mario Bros in the fake in-headset cinema mode, experiencing spatial environments, and using the digital crown to move through visual environments.

After trying a few apps, the demo concludes, providing a glimpse of the headset’s comfort, weight, and overall feel. The number of concurrent demos indicates a significant effort on Apple’s part. Throughout the session, workers inquire about your thoughts and potential interest in purchasing the $3,500 headset. These experiences will shape my decision, and I will share the impact of my first-time experience with the Vision Pro.