Portal to a New Paradigm // #61
or just cool ski goggles?
The Curious Cat is a journey where I aim to reconnect with my inner-child and explore my curiosity. I pinpoint themes & topics I’ve been interested in within the last 7 days, ask myself questions about them and then write about them. I hope you find value within this issue and have a fantastic day doing what you love.
Do you remember the first time using an iPhone? I do. It was magical. I’ll never forget it.
Prior to iPhone, we had to push buttons to navigate phones. Then Apple released the first touchscreen phone. That alone blew my mind. But then the camera, the browser, the video player and the integration of iPod (which inextricably merged mp3 players and mobile phones forever) further complimented the supernatural touchscreen technology. It was surreal. But alas; I was only 11 at the time and my curiosity (and ability to act upon it) was limited. But thankfully, here I am today, fascinated by another Apple product and thanks to the internet, I have infinite resources to satisfy my curiosity.
If you know me personally, there’s a good chance you’ve had the pleasure of hearing my anti-Apple rhetoric. I don’t like either Apple or their products. But having studied how Businesses operate while at university, I hold a great amount of admiration for the team. They’re incredible at what they do. I just don’t like what they do. That debate is for another day. Today, let’s consider VisionPro.
What VisionPro is
In a couple of words - A Neo computer
In a single sentence - A hybrid of a VR and AR headset…or “a spatial computer” as Apple are referring to it.
In one paragraph - It is like a computer. Except it is a headset. You navigate not with a mouse, but with your hands and eyes. And the screen (although incredibly nuanced) gives the appearance of a 4k and 3D projector that spreads 180° across your field of sight. You can watch media, project your mac screen to the headset and use it to simulate an augmented reality experience.
Although I categorised it as AR, VisionPro is not a product that augments reality. It’s VR with low latency video of the real world streaming to your eyeballs. It appears to be AR, but that is a clever illusion Apple very purposefully built.
Unlike all other headsets, VisionPro has no controllers. It relies on your hands via micro gestures, your eyes via magical eye-tracking and then voice…via speaking (duh!). It boasts an insane speaker system that 3D maps the shape of your earway and skull to emit personalised audio to your unique and catered-for ears. George Lucas famously said that “sound is +50% of a movie experience.” As well as tracking eye movement, it can record electric activity in the brain, monitor your heartbeat, measure muscle activity and get a solid gauge of blood density in one’s brain…all made possible thanks to the 23 sensors VisionPro has.
How VisionPro will be used
The demo of v1 appeared to have only Apple-native apps, just as the iPhone originally did. But then came the DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS, they did their thing and apps like Shazam, Instagram and games multiplied the utility of the core product. So the short answer is: we don’t know how it will be used. The foundational tech is mindblowing; but the usecases? That’s up to the DEVELOPERS DEVELOPER DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS, as well as you & I, to decide. With v1 launching early Q1 2024, aspiring VisionPro devs have a six month headstart.
But with the 45 minute presentation Apple gave, we can flirt with some predictions. One thing that stands out is that Apple’s approach focuses on a sole person, sitting on the sofa by themself, putting on a bulky headset and entering a solo digital realm. While that would imply a more lonesome experience, the price tag of $3,499 suggests that individuals might not be the main beneficiaries of VisionPro, but organisations. Regardless, the price of technology always goes down, and as it inevitably does, the floodgates to the retail market will open. And I’ve no doubt that the over-zealot Apple fanatics (you know who you are) will indeed rush to swipe their card…even if that does involve queuing for 48hrs. Other iterations of VR headsets target more social, inclusive usecases, mainly Sony with Playstation VR and Meta with Quest and its greater “Metaverse” aspirations.
Here’s a list of potential usecases of VisionPro:
Computing - Collaborative work. Spatially fixed, shareable notes. Virtual media editing room. Web browsing. True remote work. No need for a laptop or monitors. Put on your goggles, go wherever and work more efficiently than ever before.
Content - Immersive cinematic experiences thanks to the 180-degree 3D 8K recordings with Spatial Audio. 3D recorded video to save memories. Google Earth VR-like experience. Imagine travelling the world through the VisionPro. As someone who’s obsessed with mountains, an interactive FatMaps experience would probably culminate in me having a virtual wet dream. Others might prefer to ‘teleport’ to their childhood home.
Some believe that the VisionPro will enhance connection and communication capabilities. But with no forward facing camera, and the inherent obligation to have a hefty headset wrapped around your skull, I think intimacy will be limited. When on a videocall, rather than viewing another human, you will see a 3D render of them. And with that lack of intimacy, I don’t see how VisionPro improves the current video-call conferences and messaging methods web2 created.
Why build VisionPro?
A highly debatable claim, but in my eyes, Apple hasn’t built an innovative hardware product since the iPhone in 2007. Bluetooth earbuds, tracking devices and smartwatches existed years before Apple released their own counterparts. In all fairness, Apple’s marketing, slick product design and cult-like audience which will buy anything and everything, allowed them to wipe the floor with their competition. In recent years, they’ve shipped more software products (Apple Music, AppleTV, Apple News, FindMyiPhone). So the allure to build and sell another paradigm-shifting hardware device like iPhone is irresistible for such a prosperous wealthy company. Apple forecasted that they would sell +1mn devices in year one. 1mn devices * $3,499 would reward Apple with $3.5bn in cash! For context, revenues for the iPhone were circa $600mn in 2007.
Competition
Apple is a hardware company. They’ve been making light, slim and sexy devices for almost half a century. Whereas their main competitor in this new field they’re entering - Facebook - are a software company trying to make hardware for the first time. Both have huge audiences and platforms used by millions, but Apple has an almost infinite pile of cash to chuck at whatever they so wish. Facebook, being a free software company monetised by ads that they are ever-so dependent on, are not. Couple that with the negative aurora around Facebook (Cambridge analytica, social media addiction, congress hearings, etc) and the subsequent talent-luring difficulties they face, and we see that Apple has multiple competitive advantages over the incumbent market leader. And with hardware, the opportunity cost of getting it wrong is enormous. They have to invest in R&D and multiple supply chain layers. Whereas with software, you simply alter the code. Facebook have bet big on their “metaverse” (they even changed their name to incorporate it). So despite being behind VisionPro, Facebook and Quest will be forced to tread slowly and carefully. If not, they risk it all and might end up in a GoogleGlass-like situation with minimal application and demand.
If you’re keen to explore VisionPro further, there’s heaps of more detailed content out there. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. I’m more than happy to share ideas and resources. Especially given we’re at the very early days of discovering what this piece of technology is and can do.
Lastly, it’s good to be back. I really hope you found value within this piece.
They are also cool ski googles. Interesting that they are not AR but look like it by mapping the real world at low latency. Cheeky