Steve Jobs on Virtual Reality (D3, 2005)
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN commenters cite it in Vision Pro and AR threads as Jobs's concise take that a headset is like headphones for video.
What it is
A one-minute clip of Steve Jobs at the D3 conference in 2005 discussing virtual reality. He compares VR headsets to headphones for video, an analogy later applied to Apple's Vision Pro.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2023 to 2026.
What Hacker News said
Recommends Geee · 2025-06 · on “Apple's Liquid Glass is prep work for AR interfaces, not just a design refresh”
VR / AR will definitely replace desktop / stationary computers, but they need to be as lightweight as headphones. Steve Jobs said it best (also his opinion of the current Vision Pro at the very end): [this video]
Cites neillyons · 2023-06 · on “Here’s what Mark Zuckerberg thinks about Apple’s Vision Pro headset”
I don't think the experience needs to be shared. Steve Jobs was making a comparison to headphones [this video] That is the way I think of it. A pair of headphones for your eyes.
Cites al_borland · 2024-01 · on “YouTube and Spotify won't launch Apple Vision Pro apps, joining Netflix”
[this video] Seems like Walt Mossberg made the girl comment in this video where Jobs is talking about headphones for video. Mossberg also made fun of Dell’s large phone, saying it was like holding a waffle up to your head, and the market proved him wrong there. These devices, in their current form, aren’t something to wear while walking around town, like someone might do with headphones.
Cites JeremyHerrman · 2026-05 · on “Ask HN: Is anyone working at least 4 hours daily on an Apple Vision Pro?”
I think of the AVP like Steve Jobs once described: headphones for video [0] I use it a few hours a day, a few times a week exclusively as a virtual display for my macbook. Being able to put a huge virtual monitor anywhere is the killer feature and I don't tend to use it for anything else. It's indispensable on flights where laptop lids can't even fully open. Apple got the interactions just about perfect for AR window management, etc. Of course the main drawbacks are the weight, size, and overall embarrassment from having a giant face computer strapped to your head. I don't find it very comfortable for more than a couple hours at time, at least with the solo knit band + the belking head strap