The future of “spatial computing” has arrived with the launch of Apple Vision Pro in the US on Friday, but can augmented reality really change the world, including the beverage industry?
Looking at all the funny images on social media of people walking around wearing Vision Pro goggles, you'd be forgiven for thinking the new device is just a niche toy for cryptocurrency enthusiasts.
But as some readers may remember, back in the 1980s we used to amused city workers with briefcase cell phones, a technology that seemed unlikely to become widespread, much less revolutionize the world. A decade later, in the late 1990s, that is exactly what happened.
The Vision Pro is a device that likely resembles an early mobile phone, and with a price tag of $3,499 (and more with options), you probably won't be seeing this device on the streets anytime soon.
But the reality is that this technology is revolutionary, changing the way we see the world, the distance between virtual and real, and how we go about our daily lives and work.
This approach is called augmented reality, and Apple CEO Tim Cook has dubbed it “spatial computing,” bringing the digital world into your living room or workplace, filling the “real” world with digital visuals.
Potentially, we could eliminate televisions, computers, mobile phones, games consoles, projectors, and much of the traditional “technology” found in our home and work spaces.
And the potential impact on the beverage industry is significant. Decibels Explore how this emerging technology sector will impact the beverage industry.
Interactive and immersive tasting
As with pure virtual reality, the most immediate application of augmented reality is most clear in the field of beverage education.
Let's see what that looks like…
First, imagine tasting wine with a wine producer in a foreign country where you don't speak the language.
The potential for instant translation has already been demonstrated.
3. Real-time subtitling and translationpic.twitter.com/sAhQYHvhYM
— Alvaro Cintas (@dr_cintas) February 3, 2024
You'll then be able to see the wines in front of you via livestream, complete with live translation, in a virtual tasting room that recreates a producer or retailer's facility. You'll sit in a room with other learners.
Each wine label will take you to the producer's website, where you'll find videos of the vineyards and production facilities, instantly transporting you to a vineyard on the other side of the world, perhaps in Mendoza, Napa or Bordeaux.
Your collection of tasting notes also floats in the air, and you can edit and comment on it with other users. Virtual plates of food are displayed along with recipes showing how to pair the wine with food.
This is not an exaggeration. The Wall Street JournalHaving reviewed this device, it's clear that it could change our relationship with food and drink forever.
Detailed new recipes and information about new drinks are just a tap away.
Although Apple's marketing doesn't mention it, the Vision Pro is the ultimate cooking computer. This was one of those moments when I really felt like I was heading into the future… pic.twitter.com/ph8n0NgUHI
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) January 30, 2024
In the on-trade
There is also great business potential in the beverage industry: in-store, for example, the device could be a great tool for quick stock checks.
Just look in your fridge and it will scan all your items and find what's close to out of stock and reorder it. Scan the back bar and it will tell you when to restock your vodka and whiskey based on current sales data.
These are the kinds of applications that augmented reality could enable.
The bartender let me record him mixing the drink with Spatial Video, which appears in 3D on my Apple Vision Pro headset.
Then I had him try it on. He loved it! “This is so cool. It looks great on a really good bartender.” Seriously, it's really cool to try it on. https://t.co/7TqhLX6QTw pic.twitter.com/0g6Ir1aeWd
— Matt Swider, The Shortcut's One Tech Deal a Day (@mattswider) February 3, 2024
transparency
More and more consumers want more detailed information about their bottles of wine, beer and spirits, and that information should be easily available to everyone.
This includes the product's environmental footprint, the communities and production methods used, and health and nutrition information.
While there have been QR codes and other technologies that allow consumers to scan bottles to learn more about a brand, or apps that allow them to take a picture and see more information, Vision Pro eliminates the two-to-three steps currently required, which presents a major barrier.
As consumers walk through the drinks aisle of a supermarket or liquor store, they eyeball products and see all the information about them, including calories, alcohol content, where and how they are produced, and how the price compares to other retailers.
You'll quickly know if a bottle of Champagne is a good deal, or if a bottle of red wine you've never tried before is a good choice.
Landscape and agricultural applications
On the production and agriculture side, augmented reality could have dramatic effects on vineyards, wineries and breweries.
Vineyard management could include drones and augmented reality to perform grape analysis. Imagine walking among the vines or hop plants, wearing an augmented reality device to closely monitor the condition of the grapes or hops, things that the human eye can easily miss.
In fact, when combined with historical and future weather data, it allows for analysis of the likelihood of mold and other undesirable conditions occurring and what needs to be done to prevent spoilage.
Similarly, once production begins and brewers and winemakers are training their staff, augmented reality will be able to guide the trainees through the entire process, taking them slowly and steadily from the wort and must to the fermentation vessels and packaging.
These are just a few of the immediate and obvious applications of this technology.
If not now, when?
It remains to be seen whether it will be five, ten, or longer before this technology is available to everyone.
But think about the briefcase phone of the 1980s. Ten years later, everyone had a cell phone, and ten years after that, everyone had a smartphone. These devices gave rise to social media, instant news and information, instant ordering of goods from travel to toilet paper that revolutionized delivery, and the creation of Uber, Airbnb, and many other companies that never came to fruition. This is basically the entire world we experience today.
Will it come sooner? Probably. Vision Pro already has 600 apps. At the time of writing, Apple is reportedly already working on the next version of the operating system for its devices. Other manufacturers are already developing their own alternatives to Apple's system. The level of research and development has not been matched since the early days of mobile phones. That's because, according to a Digi-Capital study, augmented reality revenues could exceed $70-75 billion in the last year alone.
Soon we may be seeing the world with fresh (digital) eyes.
