Traders betting on a pump for metaverse projects were disappointed yesterday after Apple unveiled the Vision Pro headset. In fact, Apple eschewed any use of the term “metaverse,” calling it “Spatial Computing.” Let’s take a closer look at the $3500 mixed reality headgear.
TL;DR
- Apple didn’t mention the metaverse during the Apple Vision Pro announcement
- Instead, Apple focused on a new phrase – “Spatial Computing”
- The Vision Pro headset will be released later this year for $3,499.00
Image credit: Apple
Unveiling the Apple Vision Pro
Apple holds an event called the Worldwide Developers Conference every year to showcase new technology. This year was particularly remarkable. For the first time since the 2014 Apple Watch, the California-based technology company introduced a new product.
The Vision Pro headset represents Apple’s entry into the world of mixed reality. However, the marketing team is careful not to use terms like augmented reality, virtual reality, or metaverse. Instead, they advocate the idea of a “spatial computer”.
CEO of Apple Tim is cooking stated, “It’s the first Apple product that you look through and not at. Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing.”
What is spatial computing?
Spatial computing encompasses creative immersive experiences that fuse digital objects with physical spaces. Think of screens and menus floating in the air and, of course, only visible through the lens of a headset. Users can control apps and displays through eye movements, hand gestures and finger taps.
Unlike the metaverses showcased in competitor marketing like Meta, Apple doesn’t believe in fully immersive digital spaces. It does not want to create “virtual escapes”. Apple’s Vision Pro headset, on the other hand, is for short bursts of gaming, media consumption, and communication.
Bloomberg’s Apple tech reporter Mark Gurman confirmed this thought. He is writing, “I was told quite directly that the idea of a completely virtual world for users to escape to – like the can in Meta Platforms/Facebook’s vision of the future – is off limits to Apple.”
This distinction may seem small to some. However, it’s clearly a guiding principle for Apple as it tries to get the world on board to the next phase of humanity’s relationship with digital environments.
Image credit: Apple
What is the Apple Vision headset?
The headset has Apple’s clean, minimalist signature style. The front of the headset is made of 3D-shaped laminated glass that merges into an aluminum frame. The frame has a button that operates a built-in camera that allows users to take photos and videos. The headband includes audio pods – no more lost earbuds!
People who wear glasses can of course use the headset. The glass is too close to the face to wear glasses. As a result, Apple partnered with Zeiss to create Visio Pro prescription lenses.
Image credit: Apple
Mike Rockwell, Apple’s Vice President of Technology Development, stated: “Creating our first spatial computer required inventions in almost every facet of the system. Through tight integration of hardware and software, we have designed a standalone spatial computer in a compact portable form factor that is the most advanced personal electronic device ever.”
The Apple Pro Vision headset will be available in early 2024 for the price tag of $3,499.