392 - Marty's Vision Pro and Galaxy XR VR Emporium

The latest In Touch With iOS with Dave he is joined by Jill McKinley, Guy Serle, Eric Bolden, Jeff Gamet, Marty Jencius, Ben Roethig. The panel compares Vision Pro vs Samsung Galaxy XR, reviews VisionOS Beta 4, reacts to Apple refusing Vision Pro trade-ins, discusses GM backing away from CarPlay, examines iPhone Air production concerns, and analyzes YouTube's new AI likeness detection tool and its implications for creators. iPhone Air production and strategy concerns, tied to mid-tier pricing pressure. YouTube's new AI deepfake likeness detection, and what it means for creators and security. The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com Direct Link to Audio Links to our Show Give us a review on Apple Podcasts! CLICK HERE we would really appreciate it! Click this link Buy me a Coffee to support the show we would really appreciate it. intouchwithios.com/coffee Another way to support the show is to become a Patreon member patreon.com/intouchwithios Website: In Touch With iOS YouTube Channel In Touch with iOS Magazine on Flipboard Facebook Page BlueSky Mastodon X Instagram Threads Summary In Episode 392, Dave and the panel take on one of the biggest shifts in the VR landscape: Samsung's new Galaxy XR headset entering the same airspace as the Apple Vision Pro. The group compares weight, comfort, thermal balance, strap systems, and software ecosystems. Marty shares his early hands-on impressions with the Galaxy XR—including its lighter design but occasional light leakage—while Ben and Jill discuss how purpose may determine market success: Vision Pro for spatial productivity, Galaxy XR for approachable consumer entry. The discussion moves to VisionOS Beta 4, where developer-focused updates aim to improve stability and groundwork for more immersive experiences. The consensus: incremental but necessary. Then comes one of the show's most passionate sections: Apple's decision not to allow trade-ins of the first-generation Vision Pro. The panel debates how this affects: • customer loyalty • early-adopter trust • whether the Vision Pro is being treated like a dev kit vs. consumer product. Reactions range from "understandable" to "rough look for a $3,500 device." From there, the conversation shifts to the GM / CarPlay breakup, which inspires instant groans. Everyone shares personal and community stories confirming that CarPlay is no longer a luxury—it's baseline expectation. One panelist notes even non-tech friends refuse to buy a car without CarPlay, which says more than any product review ever could. iPhone Air production and strategy concerns, tied to mid-tier pricing pressure YouTube's new AI deepfake likeness detection, and what it means for creators and security Topics and Links In Touch With Vision Pro this week. visionOS 26.1 Beta 3 Release Notes | Apple Developer Documentation New Samsung Vision Pro Killer? Samsung's Galaxy XR Mixed Reality Headset Now Available for $1,800 Official Replay | Galaxy Event October 2025 | Samsung Spec Category Apple Vision Pro (M5) Samsung Galaxy XR Processor / Chipset Apple M5 chip: 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, built on 3nm process. Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 platform. Display & Resolution / Refresh Rate Dual micro-OLED displays, ~23 million pixels total, up to 120 Hz refresh rate. Dual micro-OLED displays, 3552×3840 pixels per eye (≈27 million pixels total), refresh up to ~90 Hz. Weight (headset unit) Reported ~750-800 g (26.4-28.2 ounces) for M5 version. ~545 g for the headset unit; external battery pack adds additional weight. Battery Life Up to ~2.5 hours general use, ~3 hours video playback for M5 version. Up to ~2 hours general use, ~2.5 hours video. External battery unit (302 g) required. Memory / Storage (From earlier model) 16 GB unified memory, storage options (256 GB+, etc) for earlier Vision Pro. 16 GB RAM / 256 GB storage reported. Ecosystem / OS visionOS (Apple's spatial computing platform), tight Apple ecosystem integration. Android XR OS (built in collaboration with Google and Samsung) with Gemini AI integration. Launch Price ~$3,499 USD (for base Vision Pro) and remains at that level for upgraded M5 model. ~$1,799 USD at launch. Apple Confirms Vision Pro is Not Eligible for Trade-In Apple Releases New Vision Pro Developer Strap Apple Vision Pro Now Made in Vietnam Vimeo announces support for more 3D video formats on Apple Vision Pro Beta this week. iOS 26.1 Beta 4 was released. Apple Seeds Fourth Betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1 and More What's New in iOS 26.1 Beta 4 iOS 26.1 Beta 4 Adds Toggle to Turn Off Lock Screen Camera Swipe iOS 26.1 Beta 4 Lets Users Control Liquid Glass Transparency with New Toggle - MacRumors