Meta has Apple to thank for giving its VR conference added sizzle

in meta This week’s annual Connect conference focused on virtual reality and the Metaverse, and here’s what everyone said. apple.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was enthusiastic about the debut of his company’s Quest 3 VR headset, which starts at $499 and starts shipping in October. His company touted the growth of its VR app store, Quest Store. generated Revenue since its debut in 2019 has been $2 billion, up from the $1.5 billion the company announced during last year’s conference.

The big difference between this year’s event and 2022 is that attendees have a clearer picture of Apple’s future entry into the VR market.

The iPhone maker announced its Vision Pro mixed reality headset in June at an eye-popping price of $3,499 when it launches next year. Although his first major foray into VR for Apple, the company’s long-standing dominance in premium consumer devices and strong reputation in the hardware space has made it a topic not seen at Meta’s previous industry events. is producing.

While VR and mixed reality are expected to remain a niche market for years to come, conversations with nearly a dozen participants gathered this week at Meta’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, show that We’re seeing a shift in tone from developers and VR companies about the potential for expansion. industry.

“There’s certainly some curiosity about Apple entering the market,” said Tom Simmons, CEO of UK-based VR company Immerse. “Apple has always been able to combine hardware and software in a seamless way.”

Before Apple’s Vision Pro announcement, the VR industry was going through a bit of an identity crisis, with venture capitalists exiting the business. investment In parallel with the decline of Web3 and related cryptographic projects. Meanwhile, Meta is losing billions of dollars a quarter to build out its vision for the Metaverse, and Zuckerberg has shown no interest in slowing down, and many are only looking to increase costs. is frustrating Wall Street investors.

Apple’s products haven’t been released for months, and it’s unclear how many people will want or be able to buy them, but the company’s entry has given some of Meta’s efforts a sense of legitimacy.

This week, in addition to showing off its latest headset, Meta also debuted the latest version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses, developed with EssilorLuxottica. The new glasses, which will cost $299 when they go on sale Oct. 17, use Meta’s artificial intelligence software through a smartphone to identify landmarks and translate signs as people look at different objects. to be able to do things.

Aneesh Kulkarni, chief technology officer at VR training company Strivr, said it would have been a “huge loss of confidence” if Meta had stopped making major investments to advance the VR market.

“Meth is over the limit, but who has the money to go over the limit?” Kulkarni said.

He added that while app store sales of $2 billion “may not sound like a lot compared to the Apple Store,” it’s a big and important number. Apple has a huge market due to the popularity of its iPhone and iPad apps, with developer charges and revenue expected to reach $1.1 trillion in 2022.

Josette Seitz, a mixed reality developer at social impact company Vultu Technologies, said Apple is already using its products in companies that are already adopting iPads to help perform maintenance and other related services. He said that this could put them in an advantageous position against companies that are currently in the market. Companies that currently provide iPads to field workers for inspections and similar tasks could easily transition to the more immersive Vision Pro due to device interoperability. he said.

Seitz said the Vision Pro is likely to be an enterprise product because of its high price. In any case, it is important to increase the number of participants in the market.

“There shouldn’t be just one company,” she says. “This cannot be a proprietary system.”

Gaspar Ferreiro, a developer at VR company Cole Car Studio, called the Vision Pro’s price “insane” and said Apple was making a “huge bet.”

“Companies are definitely going to take a gamble,” Ferreiro said, noting that some companies will splurge on Apple devices because of the company’s reputation and prestige.

Meta still faces its own challenges. Despite having a head start over the years, the company has struggled to bring VR to the mainstream, and Ferreiro said the Quest 3’s improvements over the $200 cheaper Quest 2 will make it more appealing to industry insiders. I’m not sure if it’s enough to attract new customers. Or a developer.

“The average consumer is probably going to be faced with the conundrum of, do I need to spend another $200 on this other device?” Ferreiro said.

One of the biggest improvements in Quest 3 over previous versions is the so-called “pass-through” feature. It converts the human visual field into a digital format, allowing computer visuals to be overlaid onto the physical world. I found that looking at my physical surroundings using the Quest 2 was a blurry experience with lack of color, but the Quest 3 should be sharper and more enjoyable to use.

For developers, Ferreiro said that translates into the ability to create more engaging content and visually appealing experiences that integrate the physical and digital worlds.

Jeffrey Morin, CEO of Litesport VR fitness services, said the price of the Quest 3 is “about as outside of my comfort zone as buying a Christmas present for a child.”

But he agrees that improvements to passthrough are extremely valuable and important to the company’s upcoming mixed reality app, which it has developed for Xponential Fitness. This will allow users to train with a real personal girlfriend trainer who can be sent virtually to their living girlfriend room.

When it comes to working with Apple, Morin said Litesport will look for ways to develop with Vision Pro as it evolves and the price could drop from $1,000 to $1,500 in the future. It’s initially too expensive, and the Vision Pro requires users to wear a battery pack to use it, creating an added hassle during workouts.

The advantage Apple offers is a customer base that is “much more likely to pay a subscription fee” and a recurring revenue stream, he said. Based on Morin’s experience so far, most of his current Quest users are gamers who are used to making one-time purchases of apps.

Morin said that while Apple’s product hasn’t launched yet, he has noticed an increase in the number of people using Litesports’ VR fitness app since it was announced, highlighting the excitement across the VR community. Ta.

“They said turn on the headset and show me again what’s outside,” Morin said.

After all, Apple’s move into VR proves it’s more than just an ambitious project on Facebook’s part.

“It’s not like Mark’s little toy anymore,” Maureen said. “Now it belongs to everyone.”

clock: The smart glasses announcement was a “big yawn,” and Meta knows it too.