My Apple VR Experience

What do you do when one of your buddy works for Apple? You pester them to get you Apple store discounts and get sneak peaks on what they are working on.

I am not an Apple fanboy, but the nature of my work involves interacting with a lot of Apple Tech. Whether it's Salesforce apps on the IOS or using a MacBook at work. Naturally, I did not look much into new AR Vision PRO that Apple recently unveiled. First, it's way too expensive for my likes and secondly, I wasn’t sure what it could be used for.

My buddy convinced me to try it once as he worked on the chip design team for Apple devices (how fascinating). I had time to kill during my recent US visit and couldn't think of better ways to spend it

First things first, the Vision PRO demo blew my mind. The immersive experience, the clarity of the videos and the 3D rendering of photos. Wow! I haven't checked the Meta AR yet, but I assume they would be on the same lines. If these devices could cross the adoption chasm and become ubiquitous as mobile phones, the possibilities are endless. AR devices have the power to revolutionise some sectors fundamentally:

• Education and Training: The demo showcased how I can magically dive into the ocean to pet the sharks or feed Rhinoceros calves. The feel part of the experience is missing, but it sure makes up with the visuals. Imagine medical students or aeronautical engineers being able to see, visualise and assimilate their subject areas through these immersive experiences. For example, being able to see and zoom into specific sections the aircraft during aerodynamic tunnel tests.
• Medical Diagnosis: The camera and depth capture technology used in Vision PRO is mind blowing. Remote diagnosis has been a challenge for ages. The ability to see crisp and detailed videos might make this a reality. Doctors in different part of the world can now collaborate on cases real time, guide each other during procedures, and rely on accurate information to suggest diagnoses.
• Communication and Entertainment: Who wouldn’t want to be in the fan box section during concerts or get into their favourite F1 cars’ driving seat? I would!! The demo let me experience a Baseball match clip, though I would have preferred Cricket! It was surreal to be able to view the players and action, from an angle that only a few people on the field/stadium could. This will democratise access to such experiences which only a handful of the population could experience.

We are still in the 1st generation of these AR devices, but the opportunity seems immense. If I had a magic wand, I would like these devices to be lighter and more comfortable. (Of course, I will try to solve the world hunger problem and Bangalore traffic problem first with the magic wand)