The Verge: Apple Vision Pro impressed with camera angles but did not replace baseball TV broadcasts
Apple and Major League Baseball launched a series of four baseball games for Apple Vision Pro with a game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. A The Verge journalist who tried watching the game through the headset described the technology as technically and visually impressive, but questioned its convenience for regularly following a game.
During the pregame broadcast, the author was impressed by the proximity to the players: she could see Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler warming up in the bullpen and also watched an interview with Jazz Chisholm Jr. According to her observations, the broadcast was also adapted for viewers less familiar with baseball rules: the hosts explained how to follow the game and addressed Vision Pro users.
Camera angles near the team benches
The main immersive mode offers two camera angles — near each team's bench when that team is batting. The viewer cannot freely change position. This angle makes it possible to see the vertical movement of pitches, but the batter sometimes partially obstructs the view, and the camera does not follow action in the outfield.
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The headset also features a floating jumbotron-style screen with a traditional television broadcast and player statistics. The author noted that she often shifted her attention to it, since after the ball was hit, it was difficult to fully follow the development of the play from the immersive angle. Replays from other viewpoints, including from the outfield or near first base, partially compensated for this limitation.
Details beyond the TV broadcast
At the same time, Vision Pro showed moments that rarely make it into a regular broadcast: screens in the team benches with a feed from the bullpens, sunflower seeds falling onto the ground, and the on-deck circle of the next batter. After Schlittler was replaced in the sixth inning, the camera showed his disappointment in the bench area and how he headed to the clubhouse.
Headset weight and solitary viewing
In the journalist's view, the length of baseball games makes the headset an inconvenient option for continuous viewing. She described Vision Pro as a heavy and bulky device that must be taken off and put back on to eat, walk around, or get a drink. The author believes the format may interest casual fans or technology enthusiasts, but for people who regularly watch baseball, the headset is unlikely to replace television broadcasts or watching a game together.
