Apple bets your future computer will be a?headset
Lucas Braunschvig
CEO at Strollhunt: Easy Augmented Reality for Destination Marketing Organizations, Cultural Institutions and Travel Companies
Remember the scene from the 2002 sci-fi movie Minority Report where Tom Cruise interacts with digital content on a giant transparent screen using his fingers?
Apple’s recently announced Vision Pro promises a similar future, with a headset and without predicting imminent crimes.
Apple’s next platform, a computer you wear on your face, “seamlessly blends digital content with your physical space” (Apple’s wording ). They don’t call it “Mixed Reality” (a device capable of doing both Augmented and Virtual Reality) or “Metaverse”; they call it “Spatial Computing ” — a term familiar to the AR/VR industry, and used by Microsoft and Magic Leap.
This isn’t a review of the Apple Vision Pro. Instead, as someone who worked in a "Product Innovation” role at Samsung Electronics (Apple’s main competitor), and currently developing Strollhunt (a location-based Augmented Reality platform making it easy to turn into a game the discovery of any real-world location), I offer a perspective on selected topics around this upcoming launch.
Apple gives Augmented and Virtual Reality its biggest boost?yet
Despite decades of AR and VR developments (my first experience with a headset was Nintendo’s Virtual Boy in 1995, and my first experience of AR was in 2008 with the app AroundMe on a second-generation iPhone), we don’t yet have tens of millions of daily headset users. However, Apple’s knack for mainstreaming proven technologies through its sleek design, “it just works” ecosystem, and benefit-driven marketing may propel the AR/VR industry to the next phase of consumer adoption.
Vision Pro: Apple’s next platform for work and?play
With Vision Pro, Apple is realising Google Glass’s aspiration of a “Ubiquitous Computer” — a computing product always here for you and that makes your life easier.
Vision Pro is a platform, not just a product, spanning entertainment (capturing and reliving photos and videos, watching a movie or a live event, etc.) and work (multi-tasking, producing, communicating, etc.), essentially everything you do on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac in 2D, but through a new interface (one that you can scale up for a big screen experience or down to work on several screens in parallel) and interaction (eyes — incredibly accurate as reported by testers, hands, and voice). Apple calls it “familiar yet groundbreaking”, one thing is for sure, Apple is giving this new platform its best chance by leaning into the things that people already do and love (you will notice that Apple only presented the Apple apps users already use daily).
Apple is more bullish on Augmented than Virtual?Reality
For a Mixed Reality device (sorry, a Spatial Computing device), Apple tilts more towards AR than VR. The only two use cases showing the headset being used in VR mode (although it didn’t clearly show full 360° immersion) were a mindfulness app and watching a movie on a plane (one of our team members and early tech adopter has been doing this since the 2015 GearVR, so yes, maybe it will become “a thing”).
CEO Tim Cook has always believed AR to have a larger potential, as stated since 2016 (“There’s Virtual Reality and there’s Augmented Reality — both of these are incredibly interesting […] But my view is that Augmented Reality is the larger of the two, probably by far”). A neat feature introduced by Apple to switch from AR to VR is the Digital Crown (a spin-off of the Apple Watch) which enables you to control “how present or immersed you are in an environment”. But Apple’s preference for AR may not deter third-party VR developers from creating VR experiences for the visionOS platform . Apple seems to be targeting existing iOS and iPad app developers familiar with SwiftUI and UIKit, rather than native AR and VR developers who use Unity, for the creation of experiences for their platform (though Unity can still be used to create visionOS experiences).
Apple’s Augmented Reality is limited to indoors…for now
What Apple hasn’t shown in the footage is the headset being worn in an outdoor environment.
As developers of a location-based AR platform, this is of course something we would have loved to see (after all, the device is powered by a battery and not tethered) and we believe that outdoor environments offer more to augment than indoors (and I assume that the very vast majority of the images you’ve seen of AR over the years were in outdoor and not indoor environments).?
The absence of outdoor use cases can’t be an omission by Apple but rather due to the fact the technology and consumers, and maybe even the regulatory environment, aren’t ready just yet. It’s version 1.0 of a new product category that will require users to get comfortable with a new interface and way of interacting with digital content, so Apple is likely treading one step at a time. It’s easier to control a closed environment (like the home or the office) than an open one (the busy city streets), and Apple knows that your first AR or VR experience needs to be great for you to not put down the headset for a long long time. I believe it will take at least 3 to 5 years before Apple introduces outdoor use cases, although third-party developers may be eager to bring them sooner if the App Store review team allows them to publish such experiences on the platform.
Will a headset replace your laptop? Your TV? Your?monitor??
In the long run, it seems to be Apple’s vision, but in the short to medium term, they may coexist. In my team at Samsung, we employed a framework that involved considering moments of engagement, differentiating between ‘lean in’ and ‘lay back’ scenarios. I believe we can apply this framework to distinguish between situations where using a headset would be preferred over a laptop, TV, or monitor. When it comes to moments requiring active involvement, such as leaning in, a headset would be the ideal choice. Conversely, for more relaxed moments when you prefer to lay back, a laptop, TV, or monitor might be more suitable.?
What will make you want to use a headset every?day?
The billion-dollar question. For a headset to be an everyday necessity, the same apps that you use every day will have to provide a superior benefit than their non-headset counterparts. The transition might be easier for people accustomed to wearing glasses (wearing glasses/a headset that can do more is a no-brainer — after having tried the Snapchat Spectacles for the first time, I don’t see why I would wear again sunglasses that can’t capture the moment, the same is true for the Ray-Ban Stories ). But for those who aren’t, the consumer benefit provided by the headset will have to be significant enough to create a tangible disadvantage for those who choose not to wear one compared to those who do.
When will it be as seamless to dive into an AR/VR experience as it is with non-immersive devices?
The question of when it will be as quick to dive into an AR/VR experience as it is with non-immersive devices is a critical one. In my experience, consuming content in VR invariably offers a richer, more compelling experience compared to consuming 2D content, such as a YouTube video on a phone or laptop. Yet, I find myself infrequently using my Meta Quest 2 due to what I refer to as the “time to entertainment” or “time to work”.
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If it takes minutes rather than seconds to plunge into AR or VR, we risk losing those users who crave immediate entertainment or need to commence work instantly. In this regard, most users today lean towards non-immersive devices where the “time to entertainment” is virtually instantaneous. As an example, VR finds itself in competition with the immediate gratification provided by platforms like YouTube, with its continually relevant recommendations, and TikTok, with its autoplay feature. In order to not just encourage wider adoption of headsets, but also their frequent use (a requirement for headsets to transition from being “nice to have” to a “must-have”), it’s imperative that AR and VR developers significantly trim the “time to entertainment or work”. We must strive to reach a point where the time it takes to immerse oneself in an AR/VR experience is comparable to the speed of engagement with non-immersive devices.
Is a price tag of $3,500 USD (+ sales taxes) too steep for a Mixed Reality headset?
Well, for most headset makers, it certainly seems that way. However, we’re talking about Apple here. Apple is known for being the aspirational technology brand that can command a premium price point. Enter the Apple Vision Pro, priced at seven times the cost of its closest competitor, the Meta Quest 3 (priced at $500 USD, plus sales taxes). Both headsets will offer comparable functionalities, just as an Android phone does compared to an iPhone (in case you weren’t aware, the Meta Quest series runs on Android).
But here’s the thing: you can already purchase a perfectly functioning entry-level Android phone for a fraction of the price of a top-of-the-range iPhone (Pro). Yet, top-of-the-range iPhones continue to fly off the shelves. Why? Because the aspiration of owning an Apple device can have a profound influence on consumer behavior.
Furthermore, it’s important to note that, for the time being, the Vision Pro targets the professional world as a ‘Pro’ device. This means that the hefty price tag is often covered by companies seeking to maximize its value and enhance productivity. In fact, if the headset truly enables you to be more productive, it will pay for itself in no time.
Last but not least, in the U.S., Apple offers the option to finance the Vision Pro over 12 months at a 0% interest rate with the Apple Card. This brings the monthly cost to under $300 USD, making it a slightly more manageable investment. Many Apple users are already familiar with this payment approach, as they’ve likely used it to purchase their iPhones.
I firmly believe that we are much farther from widespread adoption of VR and AR than what many tech enthusiasts and commentators suggest. When I joined Samsung in 2015, notably to work on VR, it was touted as the year VR would take off, with mobile and tethered devices finally hitting store shelves. Fast forward eight years and approximately 30 million VR headsets later, and one might ask, ‘How many minutes have you actually spent in VR this year?’ The same question applies to AR.
During my time working in Product Innovation at Samsung Electronics, where I had the opportunity to interact directly with hundreds of consumers, I quickly realized that there exists a significant gap between what technology enthusiasts desire and what regular consumers actually want. For instance, the level of importance consumers place on having a home appliance connected to the internet pales in comparison to their desire for consistent and reliable performance.
Considering this discrepancy, it becomes clear that widespread consumer adoption of headsets will take considerably more time than expected. However, Apple’s entry into the market will undoubtedly make this future happen slightly sooner.
This is solely my opinion, and I eagerly look forward to hearing your thoughts, engaging in discussions, and potentially even having my perspective challenged
I’m the Founder and CEO of Strollhunt, a location-based Augmented Reality platform making it easy to turn into a game the discovery of any real-world location.?
The Strollhunt: Walk, Play, Learn mobile app is the most fun way to explore cities, whether it’s your hometown, or if you’re simply visiting. Strollhunt turns your stroll into an exciting adventure; the city is your playground, go find all the hidden gems!
Here are a couple of demo videos for you to learn more about Strollhunt:
The experience of exploring a city with Strollhunt: Walk, Play, Learn
Players exploring cities around the world with Strollhunt: Walk, Play, Learn
The Strollhunt Platform to create, publish and play games for the real world
You can download Strollhunt: Walk, Play, Learn on your Apple iPhone today
Strollhunt: Walk, Play, Learn is coming to Android (here's a demo ) in late June/early July 2023 and we’re looking for Beta testers, so if you’re based in a city where Strollhunt is available to play, just fill out the form at the end of this page and I’ll happily give you early access.
Connect with me on LinkedIn if you would like to discuss your project to gamify the real world. We commonly work with destination marketing organizations, cultural organizations and travel companies, but Strollhunt is a platform and we’re always on the lookout for novel use cases.
Here’s a growing list of cities where Strollhunt: Walk, Play, Learn is available to play:
Very interesting read on the future of how these technologies are going to keep advancing! Thanks for sharing.