Why Apple's Upcoming Announcement of "Mixed Reality" may be a big deal for Every Business

WWDC is just around the corner, and there's a palpable buzz surrounding "Reality Pro", Apple's codename for its AR/VR Mixed Reality device.

It's understandable why the tech world is eagerly anticipating this launch. After all, it's been eight long years since Apple introduced a groundbreaking new product category - the last one being the Apple Watch in April 2015.

Love them or hate them, there's one thing most people can agree on: Apple has a knack for expanding the market size of any industry they venture into. Just look at what they did with the iPod. Before the iPod, the music player market was minuscule. But once Apple entered the scene, the entire market grew eightfold. The same pattern repeated itself with smartphones, tablets, watches and even smaller product categories like wireless headphones & earbuds.

So, it's no surprise that Meta (formerly Facebook) is likely hoping Apple works its magic again with this new product category. Apple's success in this space would validate Meta's vision of the Metaverse. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Meta eventually shifts its focus from hardware to software/platform, relying on Apple's validation and product-market fit. If anyone can pull it off, it's Apple—and even Wall Street knows it. That's why there's so much anticipation surrounding Apple's venture into AR/VR among investors too.

Rather than diving into technical specifications and intricate details, I'd like to offer my two cents on why AR/VR hasn't taken off as much as it should and what businesses can expect when Apple enters the market.

In my opinion:

• AR, VR and Mixed Reality technologies are still in their primitive stages. Current devices like HoloLens and Quest are clunky and heavy, causing headaches and discomfort after just 30+ minutes of use. There's a lag between actual head movements and the screen refresh rate, leading to nausea. However, if Apple manages to create an incredibly lightweight and thin device, weighing only a fraction of its competitors, powered by high-quality cameras, sensors, high resolution screens with high refresh rate and very minimal latency, more people might be able to wear it comfortably for extended periods of time. Rumor has it that the device could be as light as 150 grams—about the average weight of ski goggles.

• The main challenge lies in making VR headsets mainstream, since it completely isolates users from reality. This is where a mixed reality solution makes sense, allowing users to seamlessly switch between reality, augmented reality (a near replica of the real world with overlayed information), and VR (complete immersion in a virtual world). Apple seems to have taken this approach, and will offer users the ability to stay rooted in reality while introducing augmented objects into their world. With powerful cameras and sensors, the device will likely excel at hand tracking, eliminating the need for additional handheld devices like the Quest does or potentially utilizing user's iPhone in that role.

Why Every Business needs to pay attention to Apple's Announcement?

I've spoken with numerous businesses that are keen on exploring the Metaverse and AR/VR. While they understand that this may be the "future," no one truly knows how it will unfold. Although at Monstarlab, we have helped some clients dip their toes into the Metaverse, we've barely scratched the surface due to the lack of a unified platform, technology stack & use case.

However, with Apple's launch of xrOS (an operating system similar to iOS but dedicated for Mixed Reality development), everything can change. Apple has over 2 billion users worldwide and approximately 34 billion registered developers. Additionally, the iOS App Store already hosts around 1.6 million apps.

Therefore, no matter what problem statements user discovers while using this new mixed reality experience, the eager developer community will undoubtedly bring forth abundant innovation, creating new solutions on top of xrOS. Moreover, most existing iOS apps will likely run flawlessly on Apple's Mixed Reality headset. This gives Apple an edge in productivity, gaming, and entertainment, as a significant portion of their 2 billion customers will eagerly adopt the technology.

No one ever thought they needed a Smart watch. In fact many people even to this day doesn't believe in Smartwatches. But did you know that as of last year 216.2 million people are currently wearing a smart watch and Apple has 43% market share of that.

So once the xrOS ecosystem takes off, it'll become a land grab, with everyone scrambling to build for xrOS and allowing user a new way to experience things. It may be some time before new players catch up and claim their share of the market.

So, if you're a business still unsure of how to leverage this new technology, let me offer a simple analogy to prepare you.

Just Imagine a future where everyone around us wears some sort of glass (without looking dorky). Just a few years ago, we thought nothing of seeing people in hospital masks; it became the norm. Similarly, glasses could become a fashion statement. When people interact with you, your products, and your brand, they'll have access to contextual information, i, and even assistance from generative AI, much like ChatGPT.

Your employees, colleagues, and team members may work on glasses instead of laptops. They might have two giant 100" displays, comparing documents side by side and making changes through voice commands.

At home, you'll witness your family and friends immersing themselves in TV shows, movies, and other forms of content in more captivating ways.

The opportunities are endless. While not everything will happen overnight, we all need to carefully consider this technology. Once the ecosystem is established and users experience the new possibilities, they may never want to go back. History has shown that even huge companies with great products, reputations, and fan bases can be utterly obliterated by new innovations.

I'm writing this before Apple's announcement, and only time will tell if my predictions hold true. However, I'm confident that if anyone can crack AR/VR/Metaverse and create a consumer product worn by millions, it's Apple.

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position or stance of any organization, company, or entity. The information provided is based on the author's personal knowledge and experience. Readers are advised to conduct their own research and analysis for any decisions or actions they may take based on the content of this article.