Apple’s launch of its new MR specs made headlines in the tech world. The $3000 device is set to provide an augmented reality experience for gamers and it seems like a viable competitor to many other headsets currently on the market.
A closer look at the specs and found out that Apple’s MR headset isn’t as metaverse-friendly as we thought- you can’t use MR headsets in virtual environments that require head-tracking capabilities like in VR or AR headsets which need head-tracking capabilities. Apple’s specs don’t have any head-tracking capabilities.
(Apple Headset Concept: Antonio De Rosa)
In fact, Apple’s MR headsets are so far behind other devices that they aren’t even comparable. If we take a look the HoloLens provides a full MR experience with 5 sensors and 2 cameras and can be used in VR as well if needed. The Vive Pro eye tracking headset provides 2 sensors for full head movement capabilities and can be used for training exercises, too. Apple’s device is clearly way behind the competition. And that’s not all — Apple’s MR headset isn’t optimized for enterprise use at all! This basically means that it won’t be able to compete or be integrated with other MR devices and use cases outside of gaming. In fact, it will be hard to use the headset outside of Apple’s ecosystem. And keep in mind that marketing the product as the next big thing and keeping it a secret for months doesn’t help either.
Aside from the lack of head-tracking capabilities, MR headsets are not yet very enterprise-friendly. In fact, most companies don’t even know what this technology is about since EMR and VR haven’t yet been applied to MR headsets. Apps are a major issue, too. The high price tags and the lack of available apps will make MR headsets hard to use and probably not worth the price.
Most enterprise users don’t see much value in VR/AR technology. The reason is that they have no idea how to use this technology or what to expect from it. In fact, they are afraid of being negatively impacted by change due to their position as gatekeepers of an industry. In other words, doctors, developers, lawyers etc don’t know how the MR headsets can help them or what they can do with these devices — and there’s no one out there that can give them insight into this new world. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be affected by this if the technology gets adopted at all.
The positive effects of VR/AR technology on the world are currently limited to gaming and entertainment. There is no way MR headsets will be able to change the world in the way that VR has, and there’s no way they will succeed where VR has failed, at least not without a lot of work. No one knows why such devices were created in the first place.
(How VR and AR will be used in 2025: Statista)
The same can be said for any form of augmented reality (AR) in general — you probably won’t see much value from it beyond entertainment purposes, either for now or for the foreseeable future. We need to wait for AR glasses to be released for these devices to really become viable in the enterprise. But in the meantime, the world of VR and AR is not yet ready for a business-friendly future — and that’s something we can’t afford to ignore.
The past year was filled with big news in regards to virtual reality (VR). But conversations are still centered around immersive technology in gaming and entertainment, not everyday practical use. There are a few companies that have created products based on immersive technology which could potentially address some business needs. For example, Microsoft HoloLens is designed to be used in many industries like medicine, architecture, or military simulation.
Metaverse is a new technology on the horizon that has the potential to revolutionize industries that rely on human interaction and facilitate them through VR/AR. It’s a technology that I believe will change the world — and it’s already been used for important purposes like business development and community improvement.
Read more: Virtual Reality and Its Influence in Changing Our Future
