[elicash]

On comfort and price:

Apple should have sold the strap separately and partnered with different manufacturers so that 3rd party options were available from Day 1.

For example, this looks less beautiful than Apple's version, but is more comfortable and functional and from what I've read by others, results in a larger FOV (since you can size down on light seal or... remove it): https://twitter.com/Azadux/status/1757469190095781900 -- And that's a hacked together version, not the official version being worked on.

And while Apple would have gotten criticism for nickel and dime-ing folks by them having to buy more stuff separately, I actually think it would have resulted in a cheaper set for folks buying 3rd party. Not enough to put it in a different price category or anything, obviously, but cheaper nevertheless.

[rad_gruchalski]

> Apple should have sold the strap separately

On the contrary… I can already imagine the backlash against this one „oh, the profiteering, they don’t even sell the strap with it”.

[elicash]

I addressed that point in my original comment, but to add more, they clearly realized that different sized heads and different needs for comfort were such a problem that they bundled it with two different straps (and two different pads). Not to mention the "light seal" fitting issues, which frankly I think they should have partnered on that, as well.

These comfort problems should have been the obvious signal that they shouldn't have done what they do with the watch--which is bundle it with a band.

Between strap and light seal, it's about $500. Why would Apple want to make $500 less? Well, clearly they don't. But I think a $2999 intro price gets a lot more people in the door, even if they then need to buy a $90 3rd party strap. And is more comfortable, too, which is the main point in preventing returns like this one.