After the experience and the exaggerated price, are the Apple Vision Pro glasses worthy of being revolutionary?

In the rapidly evolving world of Extended Reality XR headsets, Apple Vision Pro glasses A strong and resounding entry, under the slogan “Spatial computing“. But are Apple Glasses capable of being revolutionary? Priced at $3500, Apple's headset, like other virtual, augmented and mixed reality headsets, contains a range of immersive technologies that blend the physical and digital worlds. But Vision Pro glasses set themselves above everyone else, perhaps because they contain unique and interesting features, most notably, spatial viewing of photos and video. But are there other alternatives that offer such exciting features? Should we rush to buy it? Is it of benefit to you? All these questions and more we will answer in this report. Let's delve into the world of extended reality glasses to understand the scene more closely, and analyze the key points from recent reviews of Apple Glass.

What is Extended Reality XR?

Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term that covers Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR). XR glasses aim to enhance user experiences by integrating digital elements with the real world. But there is a difference between each type as follows:

Virtual Reality (VR) glasses

VR headsets immerse users in completely virtual environments that the user can interact with, blocking the view of the real world and allowing users to see only the virtual environment. Examples include Oculus Rift glasses, HTC Vive glasses, and Sony PlayStation VR glasses.

Augmented Reality (AR) glasses

Augmented reality glasses add virtual elements to the real world. It displays virtual elements over the real world. Examples of these glasses include Microsoft HoloLens, Google Glass, Magic Leap, Nreal Light, and Pokémon GO.

 Mixed Reality (MR) glasses

MR glasses combine elements of virtual reality and augmented reality. In an MR environment, users can see virtual elements interacting with the real world. Examples of these glasses include Microsoft's HoloLens 2, Magic Leap 2, and Apple's Vision Pro glasses.

Extended reality headsets of all types can be used in a variety of applications, including gaming, training, education, logistics, and manufacturing. As these technologies continue to develop, we expect to see more innovative applications in the coming years.

Apple Vision Pro glasses and the price dilemma

Despite their high price, it is said that pre-orders for the glasses have reached more than 200 glasses so far! The high price is due to several factors:

◉ Apple targets a specific category of professional users and does not target you as a regular user. Most of the recommendations tend towards waiting for another upcoming Apple Glass at reasonable prices, and its value is expected to range between $1500 to $2000.

◉ Apple Vision Pro glasses feature many innovative features not found in other glasses, such as high-resolution screens, advanced eye tracking, and the powerful M2 chip. These advanced components require significant research and development, resulting in high production costs.

◉ Apple is famous for its outstanding build quality, and the glasses are no exception. They are made of lightweight and durable materials, and are designed to be comfortable to wear for long periods.

◉ Limited production also inflates the price. It creates a sense of exclusivity and can justify the high cost for early buyers.

◉ Brand value and attractiveness. The luxury of an apple is enough, as some say, and some users are obsessed and willing to pay dearly to acquire Apple devices.

In short, the price can be divided as follows:

◉ Advanced technology: 40%

◉ Excellent build quality: 30%

◉ Limited production: 20%

◉ Brand value: 10%

Spatial images and videos: technological leap or gimmick?

There is no doubt that the most distinctive feature of the Apple Vision Pro glasses is the way it displays spatial images and videos, which is considered a very big leap similar to the transition from black and white photography to color photography. This feature creates a distinct emotional impact. But does this advantage and this effect justify the high cost of Apple Glass?

We may have other means of displaying spatial images and videos, through MetaQuest 3 glasses in addition to some leading smartphones that support this feature, such as the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, and using an application such as Spatialify To convert these photos and videos and display them on Meta Quest 3, it costs only $500.

Spatialify

$2.99

Developer	天 吴

The entry of such devices into the field of spatial content may dispel the exclusivity of the spatial feature of the Apple Vision Pro glasses.

Certainly, the matter will not be limited to the iPhone and Meta glasses, as we should expect more smartphones that will start taking spatial photos and videos this year, whether the upcoming iPhones or many Android phones.

We must not ignore the fierce competitors of Apple, Samsung and Google, as they still have devices that will be released this year. We have heard about a partnership between them to provide extended reality glasses that will work with second-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Plus processors. Each eye of the glasses contains a resolution of 4.3K at a rate 90 frames per second, in addition to more than 12 simultaneous cameras, and built-in AI capabilities. All of this promises promising specifications that directly compete with Apple's glasses, and its prices are much lower than Apple's.

Development and future trends

Autonomy of extended reality glasses

Extended location headsets that do not require other devices to function are becoming more common, such as the Oculus Quest and Quest 3.

Advances in spatial computing

Advances in spatial computing, as seen in the Apple Vision Pro headset, add new dimensions to virtual reality experiences. Spatial images and videos enhance emotional engagement. Whoever experiences it feels intense emotion about the images and memories he sees.

Market competition and purchasing power

Increased competition, with new entrants such as Samsung and Google, is driving innovation and affordability by a wider range of users. We expect extended reality glasses with similar specifications and lower prices.

What glasses do you need?

Anyone who has tried Apple Glass has undoubtedly experienced how far these immersive digital experiences have advanced over the past few years. If you have the money, fine, buy one. In contrast, you can spend $500 on a MetaQuest 3 headset and try out more than 500 apps, compared to about 150 apps on Vision Pro at the moment. There are also some good and greatly improved Quest glasses apps like Supernatural and Puzzling Places. Quest may be enough for you now, but then in a year or two from now it will improve a lot due to competition, and Apple will offer a less expensive model that has a lot of applications available.

Conclusion

It's clear that the launch of Apple Vision Pro is an important milestone for virtual reality, spatial computing and next-generation digital experiences. It's also an exciting step in the future of the inclusive Internet. If you are one of those who are afraid of missing something, then you must be patient. If the matter is limited to mere entertainment and spatial viewing of pictures and videos, or if you are a developer, or this matter means something institutional to you, then that is okay, as you may get your hands on something revolutionary through which you can... Achieve more.

We at iPhone Islam have begun developing Islamic applications for Apple Glass

Source:

zdnet