With its Vision Pro headset announcement in June, Apple proposed a variety of consumer entertainment uses, from front-row sports viewing to 3D dinosaur dodging. But as the Pro brand shows, Apple specifically demonstrated how “spatial computing” devices (the company's marketing term for augmented reality and virtual reality) also fit naturally into the workplace.
While other vendors, from Meta to Google to Magic Leap, have targeted enterprises with their own AR and VR devices, Apple's clear focus on business was unusual.
“Vision Pro is unique in that Apple is talking about consumer use cases and entertainment, but it's clearly focused on commercial use cases, in part because it's a very expensive product.” said Tom Mainelli, Group Vice President, Devices and Devices, IDC. research group.
Vision Pro could become a productivity tool when it arrives in 2024, even if its hefty $3,500 price tag may prevent widespread adoption.
“One of the main ways Apple is positioning the Vision Pro as a work headset is as an extension or replacement for traditional desktop PCs and laptops,” said CCS Insight Principal Analyst. List, says Leo Gebbie. connected device.
From a personal productivity perspective, Apple's VisionOS provides access to multiple virtual screens accessible in augmented reality, allowing users to see their surroundings using the headset's “pass-through” feature. can. In addition to eye and hand tracking and voice recognition input, you can interact with apps using Apple's wireless Magic Keyboard and touchpad.
“The immediate use case is the idea of having potentially unlimited display capabilities when working on a Mac,” Mainelli said. “I think this is the least sexy use case for something like this, but also probably the most realistic use case.” [in the short term]”
In addition to Apple's own apps like the Freeform brainstorming app, the Keynote presentation tool, and FaceTime for video conferencing, users will also have access to Microsoft's productivity apps like Excel, Word, Teams, and Cisco and Zoom. Masu. A wider range of collaboration and productivity apps may become available next year.
Mainelli said other workplace applications are likely to include the ability for designers to manipulate 3D objects and collaboration features such as employee onboarding and training. Both are early enterprise use cases for his VR.
Not very suitable for mobile use. Even remote support for frontline workers is not suitable for mobile use. This is one area where augmented reality is already showing its value in the workplace. However, the Vision Pro's design isn't exactly lightweight, and it requires a tethered battery to power it for about two hours on the go. Also, its focus on immersive virtual reality makes the device less convenient for deskless workers.
“This is really a stationary product, not something you would take out into the field,” Mainelli said.
The Vision Pro only lasts 2 hours on battery, making it suitable for non-mobile use.
Gennie agrees. “This felt like it was primarily targeted at desk-based employees rather than other, more interactive enterprise use cases.”
Apple's Vision Pro: Is it right for the job?
Despite tech giants like Apple and Meta investing heavily in the development of virtual and augmented reality, developing comfortable, easy-to-use, and affordable hardware has proven difficult. . (Initial feedback from people who have actually demoed the Vision Pro indicates that Apple has at least partially addressed some of these concerns, but the price issue remains.)
Being relatively expensive (still lower than some “professional grade” headsets like Varjo and HTC) means that Apple uses high-end components designed to provide a better user experience than cheaper alternatives. This is reflected in the selection of For example, his high-resolution OLED screen will likely resemble his 4K display for both eyes, making it much easier to read text within apps.
“This OLED screen is a big part of why it's so expensive,” Mainelli says. “The challenge with cheap virtual reality headsets is that they don't have high enough fidelity to work in that setting for long periods of time, let alone hours,” he said.
Providing a relatively smooth user experience is also important for user productivity, and this is another area where competing vendors struggle.
“Apple will have strength in this space because of the fluidity and ease of use of Apple's device and software ecosystem,” Gebbie said. “This suddenly makes it much easier for employees to think about the elements of their workflow that they want to move to spatial computing. This is a real strength that Apple has in this space, and rivals like Meta. I think we had a hard time developing that kind of technology until now.”
Initial demand is likely to be low
Although Vision Pro has received generally positive reviews from those who have been able to try it, it is unlikely that its launch will prompt significant enterprise adoption. Apple itself is believed to be expecting relatively limited sales (at least compared to his Mac, iPad, and iPhone sales). bloomberg reported in May that sales are expected to be around 900,000 units in 2024 due to production constraints and, of course, price.
“This isn't replacing people's laptops yet,” Gebbie said. And he said headsets like the Vision Pro are “many years away” from being adopted to any significant degree by enterprises.
“Right now, if you want desk-based employees to be able to collaborate with colleagues, you typically just give them a laptop. They have a screen, a keyboard, a webcam, and they can participate in Teams, Zoom, all these applications. Yes, and the cost of installing a laptop is relatively small.
“Vision Pro costs $3.5 million, and it will take time for people to learn new sets of behaviors and understand how to get the most out of the device.”
Mainelli said some “forward-thinking” companies may want to buy Vision Pro at launch, but the number is quite small. And that's assuming they can even get their hands on the device.
“I don't think we'll see mass adoption. In fact, I don't think we'll see mass shipments in the first year. But people will try it and see how they can get the most out of it.” ,” Mainelli said.
Gebbie agreed that many companies would at least like to try Vision Pro. “There will probably be a lot of companies that will try to get one or two units and test different applications and see where the strengths and weaknesses are,” he said.
Apple's future plans for AR
Vision Pro is likely just the beginning of Apple's long-term strategy for virtual reality and, more importantly, augmented reality. The immediate goal is to generate interest and encourage developers to come up with apps that attract a wider audience. Rumors are already circulating about the next version, and it is believed that a cheaper device is in the works.
Mainelli said that manufacturing devices priced for widespread adoption remains a major challenge, and the high cost of components for VR/AR headsets means companies are unlikely to be able to do something similar like Apple in the near future. He said people shouldn't expect to deliver a capable headset at a significantly lower price. .
“I think it's harder than people think,” he said. “The reason it’s so expensive is because of all the technology it uses. [a headset]: You can't just take out the camera or sensor. Because then you can change the experience,” he said.
The Vision Pro is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2024, and assuming there are no production delays, a more mainstream version could be a year or two away. “And even that device may not be the kind of thing that you can expect to ship in the volume that you see with products like the Apple Watch.
“I think this is a 10-year journey for Apple, and Vision Pro is just the first step in that journey.”
Apple is clearly making progress. According to The Verge, the company recently acquired Mira, a startup that sells AR headsets and software aimed at providing remote assistance to industrial workers. Mira's device relies on the iPhone to power the headset's interface.
It remains unclear what this acquisition, one of several AR startups Apple has acquired in recent years, means for the company's long-term strategy. It is likely that it will incorporate Mira's technology into its own products and use acquisitions to increase its own expertise and intellectual property.
This could also be seen as another sign of Apple's long-term plans for smart glasses that are as discreet as regular eyeglass frames. These will benefit not only consumers but also businesses.
“The acquisition of Mira shows that Apple remains focused on augmented reality as an end goal, in terms of a device that doesn't cut you off from the outside world in the same way the Vision Pro does. Yet, fundamentally, the world “It's a headset that provides some isolation from the user,” Gebbie said.
“When it comes to Apple's future product roadmap, there is little doubt that the ultimate goal of this effort in spatial computing is to get the company to a point where it can launch augmented reality smart glasses. Smart glasses are heaven for many people in this field.
