Apple Might Kill VR

Apple announced a VR/AR headset yesterday. I believe it has a decent chance at flopping so spectacularly that nobody will want to touch VR for a decade because if Apple can’t pull it off, why should anybody else even try?

The problem isn’t that Apple can’t pull it off, it’s that they’ve learned nothing from Meta’s Quest Pro failure and have built a solution looking for a problem. They’ve built a device that helps you do essentially all the same things you could do on your computer or phone, except this device costs more than both of those combined and also makes you look like a dork as a nice bonus.

But if you’re having fun, who cares if you look like a dork? VR has reached the popularity it has today because of games. New ground is constantly being broken in VR software because it makes possible experiences that you just can’t get anywhere else.

Except, what’s this? Apple’s headset doesn’t come with controllers? Wait, they’re not even optional? At least Meta’s Quest Pro, flawed as it was, had the sense to make itself useful as a gaming device. And no, no matter how good the hand tracking is, it’s no replacement for physical controllers in games.

I’m really not sure who Apple thinks this is for. Are there really people out there who think “Yes, surely looking at virtual screens through a computer strapped to my face will be comfortable and make me more productive!”? I would think people are increasingly looking for ways to cut down on screen and office time, not make it all-consuming.

Normally I’d see the announcement and just move on but VR is something I care about and, like I said, I’ve got a hunch that Apple is about to inadvertently do something terrible to the VR ecosystem. Let’s hope I’m way off.