The Apple Vision Pro VR/AR headset has been in the headlines since its announcement. It is unlike what we have ever seen before, and it is going to significantly impact the entertainment industry in the coming years after it goes mainstream. And Apple recently announced a number of entertainment experiences that will be available when they go on sale on February 15.
The headset is designed with a lot of sensors that enable it to take information from its environment for it to process and allow real-time interactions. It has internal sensors that are dedicated to tracking the eyes. And, unlike other headsets, there are physical controllers for the user to use the Vision Pro. Just the eyes, hands, and voice are used to control the headset.
Since its announcement, developers from different fields of entertainment have been dedicating effort and research to developing ways to harness the Vision Pro's capabilities, shape the future of mixed-reality technology, and impact how we consume entertainment in the future.
The headset will allow users to download and stream content from Disney+, ESPN, MLB, PGA Tour, Max, Discovery+, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, Fubo, Crunchyroll, Red Bull TV, IMAX, TikTok and MUBI. And it will feature 150 3D movies, immersive films, and a Travel Mode feature. 1
For some reason, however, Netflix doesn't appear on the list of streaming platforms. An omission of such a prominent streaming service only hints to me that we may not have it available on the headset—for a while, at least. That, alongside its price, makes me wonder about its target demographics and its likelihood of widespread adoption. The price of $3,500 isn't something most people would be able to afford.
Compared to many of its competitors out there, Vision Pro offers outstanding features such as Immersive Video, which features 180-degree 3D 8K recordings captured with spatial audio, Travel Mode for usage on planes, and Guest Users, which allows users to share specific experiences with others.
Content creation will now be taken to a whole new level in mixed reality. There is a vast potential for new forms of storytelling, user engagement, and product developments that can leverage the capabilities of the Apple Vision Pro. New and enhanced experiences with how we consume content will be explored, and this will create new trends in the entertainment industries.
There are also potential applications of the Apple Vision Pro in education, healthcare, and even business. I imagine new learning experiences possible on the headset that could enhance knowledge impartion in students. An example would be immersive learning rooms for doctors and surgeons.
A concern about the usage of this headset is how it is powered and its battery capacity. The headset would be even heavier if it had its batteries built into it, and it would be even clunky to carry around. To solve this, it runs on an external battery. The battery only lasts up to 2.5 hours for video playback, however. And to run it all day, the headset has to be connected to power with its charging cable.
Apple has a broad, fluid, and cohesive ecosystem for its devices, and the Apple Vision Pro will be connected to it as all Apple devices are. Apple says that users will have smooth synergy between the headset and their other devices. For example, a user can simply look at the screen of their Mac and continue their activities on the Mac right on their headset.
The presale starts on January 19 at $3,500. What do you think about the Apple Vision Pro and its prospects?