By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Public Interest in Apple's Vision Pro
To gauge public interest in the Vision Pro, Apple's cutting edge and expensive VR headset, I visited an Apple store in central London on the day of its UK and European launch. Unlike past product launches where people camped overnight, only a small group of mostly men awaited the store opening. This shift might reflect the convenience of pre orders and raises the question of whether VR headsets will ever become mainstream.
Apple's Strategy and Market Challenges
Apple aims to make the Vision Pro mainstream by enhancing everyday activities turning home videos into 3D experiences and making panoramic photos immersive. Despite this, the hefty price of £3,499 is a significant barrier. Apple's "spatial content" marketing contrasts with industry norms, where competitors like Meta emphasize multi tasking capabilities and practical uses in advertisements.
Competition and Market Reality
Meta, with its Quest 3, emphasizes functionality and a robust content library, positioning itself as a practical tool for tasks and entertainment. Despite numerous headsets in the market, none have achieved mainstream success. Research firm IDC projects fewer than 500,000 Vision Pro units sold this year, and Meta's estimated 20 million Quest units highlight the niche status of VR compared to ubiquitous tablets and smartphones.
Content and Market Adoption
Analysts like George Jijiashvili point to the lack of compelling content as a reason many VR headsets are abandoned, creating a vicious cycle of reduced interest and limited content development. Early Vision Pro adopters need patience for content growth, while the Quest 3's established library offers immediate engagement. IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo and S&P Global's Melissa Otto suggest that, like the iPhone, the Vision Pro might need time and valuable apps to truly become mainstream.
The Physical Experience of Using VR Headsets
The physical experience of using VR headsets remains a challenge. Both Apple and Meta incorporate "passthrough" technology for mixed reality, allowing users to see their real world surroundings via external cameras. This feature enables activities like walking or exercising while wearing the headset. However, the discomfort of wearing a half kilogram device on your face is significant. Despite advancements making headsets lighter, many users, including myself, find it difficult to wear them for extended periods. VR sickness, though improved, still affects some users when moving in VR with a controller instead of actual movement.
Enhancements and User Comfort
To combat VR sickness, modern VR experiences offer various settings, such as teleportation between locations. Sony's VR game Horizon: Call of the Mountain creatively addresses this by allowing movement through arm swinging, which helps mitigate nausea. Despite these efforts, the long term goal for tech giants is for mixed or augmented reality to become mainstream. Meta, for instance, envisions a virtual world called the Metaverse, where digital avatars replace our real world presence. While this concept has yet to fully materialize, the ambition remains.
Future of VR and Augmented Reality
Experts believe future VR devices will need to become more like glasses and less like bulky ski goggles to achieve mass market appeal. Companies like Viture and XReal are already developing high fidelity screen embedded sunglasses. Melissa Brown from Meta expressed confidence that the Quest 3 could eventually replace smartphones. However, Mark Zuckerberg provided a more cautious outlook, emphasizing that new technologies do not immediately render previous ones obsolete. The transition to widespread VR adoption will likely be gradual.
Consumer Reception and Market Potential
Observations from the Apple store on Regent Street in London suggest that VR headsets like Vision Pro and Quest 3 are not yet ubiquitous. While some customers left the store excited with their new purchases, many were there for other reasons and were surprised by the enthusiasm of Apple staff. The key question remains, how many more consumers can be persuaded to adopt these VR technologies? As the market evolves, the potential for mainstream VR adoption hinges on continued advancements and consumer acceptance.
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