sharpiemarker

Yar! 🏴‍☠️

I can definitely see the merit in your position. I’ll be interested to see how it develops. It also isn’t out of character for Apple to attempt something overly ambitious and scrap it either.

I appreciate the debate and I think we’ll have to agree to disagree and see how things progress.

Apple haven’t been known for their hardware but rather their software and design, and I think this will be another of their very cool, but ultimately misdirected attempts at pushing the envelope.

I absolutely agree that AR/VR are still in their infancy. And every effort at further developing the technology is fantastic, if we want it to become widely adopted. Unfortunately I don’t see multi-thousand-dollar headsets becoming mainstream.

I love your enthusiasm and optimism, but I think it may be overwhelming your objectivity.

You seem to think this new Apple device is going to be a smash success. What’s your timeline for Apple to develop it sufficiently to be a success like you’re expecting it to be? 1 year? 3 years? 5-10? What is your yard stick for it to be considered successful?

I appreciate that you believe that because Apple sells a lot of devices that their devices are mainstream. You may not have heard but Linux has just surpassed MacOS in terms of the number of people gaming on the platform, largely attributed to Steam/Valve and their Steam Deck/Proton software.

Valve has been heavily involved in the development of VR headset technology from the beginning. We’re not there yet. I applaud Apple’s efforts and their development of VR/AR is only going to benefit the market.

Don’t misunderstand; I want them to succeed in this new endeavor, I just don’t think they will.

I think you’re overestimating the tech. We’ve had these features in VR already for the better part of a decade; sports, tv, games, floating apps.

The problem is two-fold:

The tech apple is developing is way too expensive for their target demographic.

VR is a novelty like 3D movies.

I say this as someone who owned the original HTC Vive and subsequently a Oculus Rift (and 3D tv and projectors).

If VR is going to be mainstream, it’s going to be because Sony or Microsoft push it through their console market.

TL;DR

It’s going to take a lot more than a great App to sell their multi-thousand-dollar VR experience.