It's a very interesting direction. I know it sounds like an ad, but it's true; VR opens up a whole new way to view and interact with the world you basically have to experience to believe. And this headset would be much higher quality and offer a lot more immersion than the existing offerings. So I'm sorry, but saying this would be like strapping an iPad to your face is just dumb. But it's still an ugly dystopian beast, and people really haven't figured out compelling experiences beyond first person shooters, and that's probably what's detracting.
In five - ten years these things will be more powerful, with full body signals tracking, but the size of a pair of minimalist ski goggles, and priced like an iPhone. It's easy to see uses for that, including incredibly immersive exercise and entertainment with Apple's warehouses full of entertainment industry resources. Inside will be pretty much indistinguishable from reality. I'm saying this as a non-Apple guy, who absolutely despises their walled garden "elite" approach.
This $3500 set is for early explorers and developers. So I wouldn't expect iPhone levels of attention. But the category is worth attention.