March 20, 2024
Now that Apple Vision Pro has enterprise device management, more companies will likely buy and experiment with the headset. Business technology leaders should take note because early adopters are already learning critical UX and other lessons.
Apple’s first headset launched with an array of familiar work apps like Microsoft Office and Teams. Now, we’re beginning to see branded shopping apps specifically designed for the Vision Pro as well dedicated apps for healthcare and training. Here are some of the first Vision Pro use cases within enterprise:
HEALTHCARE
CEDARS-SINAI
Cedars-Sinai’s Xaia app is a mental health app for the Apple Vision Pro. Xaia, which stands for “eXtended-Reality Artificially Intelligent Ally,” provides AI-enabled, conversational therapy through a “trained digital avatar” in relaxing spatial environments. Users can also opt to remain in their own space for the sessions, and do deep breathing exercises and meditation.
BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
CyranoHealth from Boston Children’s Hospital is a Vision Pro app for training medical personnel, including nursing students and other frontline hospital workers.
The experience allows users to familiarize themselves with new medical equipment such as intravenous medical infusion pumps with the goal of improving confidence and reducing anxiety. Users can also review procedures at a patient’s bedside using the headset.
SHARP HEALTHCARE & BEYOND
The San Diego healthcare group purchased 30 Apple Vision Pros for its Spatial Computing Center of Excellence, where nurses and physicians are experimenting with the device to determine tasks and workflows that could benefit from spatial computing.
Anaesthsiologists, for instance, might use the headset to monitor vital signs and other real-time data while keeping an eye on the patient on the operating table. According to a recent survey, up to 75% of U.S. healthcare professionals are open to exploring the use of Vision Pro. Apple itself sees a lot of opportunity for its headset in the healthcare space.
Most recently, surgeons at London’s Cromwell Hospital experimented with using Vision Pro for hands-free access to information during two micro spinal procedures.
RETAIL & ECOMMERCE
WAYFAIR
The online furniture and home goods retailer launched Decorify on the Apple Vision Pro. Users first upload a picture of an existing room to generate a 3D version of it. From there, they can style the room using (virtual) Wayfair products and make purchases directly in the app–another way to experience the extensive Wayfair catalog.
Like other “view-in-your-space” apps, the idea is to take the guesswork out of furniture shopping, increase buyer confidence, and reduce returns. IKEA revealed a similar concept for the Vision Pro in January.
LOWE’S
Lowe’s Style Studio for Vision Pro lets users bring their kitchen renovations to life. The app was built specifically to take advantage of the headset’s true depth camera and gesture tracking.
The home improvement giant has long been interested in immersive technologies to address customers’ design pain points, and sees a business advantage to being early to Apple’s spatial computing.
With Style Studio, users can explore preset styles and customize materials, fixtures, appliances, etc. Upon completing a design, they can send it to their partner, interior designer, or contractor and shop directly within the app.
MYTHERESA
Global luxury e-commerce platform Mytheresa worked with Obsess to create an immersive shopping experience for the Vision Pro. Users can shop for curated pieces in different virtual environments with realistic sounds, including beachside in Capri and nighttime in Paris. Items appear realistically in larger-than-life scale and can be purchased in-experience via Apple Pay.
The quality and intuitive interaction of the Apple Vision Pro inspired the online luxury retailer to create something as close to seeing a product in person as possible.
ALO
This isn’t Alo’s first foray into immersive shopping. The lifestyle brand previously created experiences for Roblox and the Meta Quest 2. For the Vision Pro, Alo worked with Obsess to develop Alo Sanctuary featuring hundreds of virtual environments enhanced by spatial audio (think beach, mountain, jungle, etc.).
In addition to shopping for Alo collections in 3D, users also get access to 20 different complimentary meditation exercises.
ELF, JCREW, AND MORE
Elf cosmetics also worked with Obsess to create “your best e.l.f.” for Vision Pro. Users can explore three environments inspired by the brand’s “holy grail products.” All products are modeled in 3D, rendered in 4K, and made available for purchase within the app. In addition, there are guided meditations, stretching exercises, and even a paint by numbers game.
J.Crew, another Obsess client, launched J.Crew Virtual Closet for Apple Vision Pro in which users can examine a curated selection of products at high magnification and set against realistic backdrops. You can also visualize outfits on a personalized mannequin, share the experience with another person on FaceTime, and chat with stylists in a new spin on virtual clienteling.
Additional brands said to be interested in and/or working on their own visionOS apps include Walmart, Nike, Decathlon (sporting goods), eToro (virtual trading company), Vanguard, Stryker, Bloomberg, and SAP. Lufthansa, Apple, and 3spin Learning are exploring AI-powered training for airline crews on the Apple Vision Pro; while Zillow released virtual home touring app Zillow Immersed for the device.
Image source: Cedars-Sinai
