Vision Pro teardown reveals new details about EyeSight
The dismantling of the Vision Pro into its individual parts was time-consuming, but brings new technical details to light.
Due to the complexity of the device, iFixit has split the teardown into two parts. The first part, published on Saturday, takes an in-depth look at EyeSight, which displays the user's eyes, while the second part will scrutinize the displays and sensors and assess the overall repairability.
Below are some interesting findings from the first part of the teardown:
- According to iFixit, the glass front is very difficult to remove and weighs 34 grams. It has a protective film (probably to prevent pieces of glass from flying around in case of breakage). Apple is known to charge $800 to replace a damaged glass front.
- The EyeSight display consists of an OLED display, a lenticular layer that creates a stereoscopic 3D effect, and another layer that apparently widens the image and also limits the viewing angle to prevent artifacts. The disadvantage of the lenticular display is that the resolution is very low and the second layer makes the image even blurrier and darker.
This graphic shows all the different layers of the EyeSight display. | Image: iFixit
- The iFixit technician had to remove many screws and connectors to disassemble the device. As the assembly is very complex and time-consuming, it is likely to contribute to the high price of the device.
- According to iFixit, Apple prioritized graphics fidelity and responsiveness, with a negative impact on battery life, weight, and heat.
In terms of repairability, iFixit highlighted some positive things. It noted that the earpieces and speakers can be removed using a SIM removal tool, and that the light seal and face pad are magnetically attached, making them very easy to attach and remove.
Standalone VR headsets in particular pack a lot of technology into a small space, making them complex to assemble and difficult to repair.
For comparision, here are other iFixit teardowns of standalone headsets that we have covered:
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