The Apple Vision Pro is just around the corner; next week, the major computing firm is set to debut the product for US customers following years of leaks and teasers. Apple’s entry into the market could mean several things; with the brand’s near cult-like following, XR device adoption could skyrocket, and more eyes than ever may become drawn towards Apple’s spatial productivity mission.
XR could be facing a mainstream moment this year; with a significant firm like Apple placing a stake in the market and doing it with a strong poise, XR could get the boost needed to reach what seems like a faraway enterprise/consumer ubiquity goal.
Pre-orders for the upcoming headset have already sold out. While some purchases could come from scalpers and bots, the estimated 180,000 sales figure may paint a positive picture of the device’s adoption rate upon release.
Moreover, Apple is keen to educate new audiences on XR and its related technologies. Still, XR and the ‘next generation’ of computing are new concepts to many users. Some don’t understand the tech, and others don’t want to understand the tech- perhaps stuck in old ways.
Apple is taking a hands-on approach to educating customers to combat poor XR understanding. The firm is flying XR experts to US retail stores to prepare employees for a 25-minute demo and onboarding sessions to help guide potential customers towards the product.
Moreover, with international auidences expecting a worldwide release window at WWDC 24, Vision Pro adoption could continue its uptick. However, whether or not the device will reach the enterprise end users is a fair question. While the device boasts impressive productivity gains, we have yet to see a profound enterprise adoption roadmap. Meanwhile, competitors such as Meta and Microsoft are working to get XR devices into employees’ hands today.
Can Apple’s Spatial Computing Vision Reach Enterprise Clients?
But enterprise adoption may come. Much like arguments suggesting that Quests under Christmas trees could lead to broader consumer understanding and, therefore, adoption/ubiquity of XR – similar to smartphones – Apple could easily lead the ubiquity race by starting with a consumer-focused immersive productivity device. Then, like with its iOS platforms, driving consumer adoption of spatial productivity tools allows for Apple’s first step towards a Vision Pro in every office building.
Tom Carter, the CEO and Co-Founder of Ultraleap, provided comments to XR Today concerning the debut of the Vision Pro.
He added:
We welcome Apple and the Vision Pro. We see its arrival to market as validation of the XR work we have been mastering for more than a decade: to blur the lines between virtual and reality, breaking down some of the main barriers to XR adoption to be more consumer- and user-friendly. Users want to feel less strain when using XR devices and what sets the Apple Vision Pro apart from other products on the market is an emphasis on a hands-first user interface with your arms in a relaxed position: a pinch of the fingers controls how you view and interact with the content.
Carter also highlighted how Ultraleap technology can go “even further” and is accurate down to the millimetre.
“With the rise in a user simply having to rub their thumb on their pointer finger to scroll. This brings natural, real-life interaction to users across a digital setting. Apple’s presence will only push the entire market ahead, and we look forward to being a part of it,” Carter remarked.
Comments like Carter’s are essential because while Apple is stealing headlines and therefore promoting a potential ‘mainstream moment’ for casual audiences, on the other hand, XR enthusiasts can already choose between countless dedicated XR device vendors and solution providers laying out a foundation for enterprise-grade XR, from Ultraleap to Xreal, to HTC Vive, to Immersed, the list really goes on. Hopefully, with more eyes on XR via Apple, other firms in the sector can flourish.
Moreover, with Apple’s dive into XR, it seems other giants like Samsung, LG, and Google are placing sights on the market, perhaps watching Apple closely to see if their XR gamble pays off.
Could we see another Case of a “Metaverse Crash”
However, despite valuable prospects, keen XR observers might be having a flashback or two. It wasn’t that long ago when Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was touting the Metaverse as the next big thing.
Alongside 2022/23 tech trends like NFTs, the Metaverse concept flew out of the gate with incredible marketing that convinced many that an immersive world would be the future – with a number of emerging tech firms designing numerous Metacverse services. This might still be the case, but Meta was easily a decade early in its predictions.
Following the pandemic and the rise of remote meeting applications, it is no surprise that the Metaverse fully grasped imaginations. But alas, in 2023, at its Connect event – where Meta first introduced the Metaverse in 2022 – the firm didn’t even mention its previously much-touted digital dream.
Moreover, reports highlight how the Meta Horizon platform almost immediately had a dwindling user base. In turn, and like many others, Meta is turning their eyes towards MR devices and the industrial Metaverse.
Apple is keen to separate itself from this period, not using terms like mixed reality or the Metaverse but instead using spatial computing to describe its solution.
With a deep price tag, Apple may struggle to find first-time buyers outside its reliable, dedicated fans. But with the firm seemingly learning from the Metaverse crash of 2023, XR could have its next mainstream moment – but for how long?
