Apple Vision Pro – A New Reality For Our Virtual Lives

Apple Vision Pro was announced yesterday (in case you have been living under a rock).

Some are calling it the most significant new device from Apple in years.
Some are saying that Meta/Facebook/Oculus must be having a bad week.
Some are saying they could never imagine a world (on the street, at home or in the office), where people will walk around and work/play/interact in goggles.
Whether you’re “in” on the concept or not, we have entered a new era in virtual reality, augmented reality and the metaverse…
And this mixed reality headset is looking like the benchmark for how things might go.

Apple CEO, Tim Cook, had this to say during the launch of the Apple Vision Pro:

“It’s the first device you look through and not at… Your surroundings become an infinite canvas.”

Marketing jargon, hyperbole or truth… that’s a great line.
So, here we are.

The dawn of facial computers… or spacial computing.

Controlling the content with our eyes, voice and subtle hand gestures.
Star Trek... today.

What is the “good” and “the unknown” of Vision Pro?

The Good:

• This platform seems much smarter than what we’ve seen to date with virtual reality headsets and platforms like Google Glass. 
• The ability to expand any screen beyond physical matter is huge (think small apartments, remote working, airplanes, etc…). 
• The ability to have multiple screens anywhere, and move the content from one to another is transformative.
• Expansive experiences like this work – humans love bigger screens and more immersive experiences.
• Experiences that place content on physical objects (desks, shelves, the floor) will create a different way to work and play.
• The ability to toggle between seeing through the goggles and going completely immersive into virtual with an “in-between” functionality is unique.
• Ultimately, this is a new way to think about content and our world.

The Unknown:

• Will this start off as a niche product?
• Will this be something for the masses (out of the gate)?
• Will consumers be ok with the steep pricing? $3500 USD = $4700 CDN.
• How will we connect and what will that cost? Is it wifi? Mobile data? How do you use it “on the go” or in a plane/places without connectivity?
• This is the first generation, and it seems “limited” in the way the Apple Watch was. So, if the functionality is limited, it may take a while before Vision Pro is more akin to a MacBook’s functionality..
• Apple will have to condition humans that wearing goggles is good. Much in the same way the world adapted to having a computer at home or using a smartphone. It seems like those habits happened quickly, but it took years for those behaviors to take hold.

So… are you in? Will you get a Vision Pro?

What is Tech Tuesday?

Every Tuesday – for just a few minutes – I join Heather Backman (my old buddy from her days on CHOM FM and Jack 103) on the air at 95.9 Star FM to give a quick blast about the current state of technology, media and Internet culture.
We call it Tech Tuesday (and we do it in just a few minutes).

Once the segment goes live on 95.9 Star FM, I will post it here for you to listen in, learn, share and engage.

https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1532404546