SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – Apple fans are watching to see whether the iPhone-maker puts a culture-changing spin on virtual reality (VR), even as rivals slow their march toward the metaverse.
All eyes are on whether Apple will commit to releasing VR or augmented reality (AR) “goggles” at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
Apple chief Tim Cook fuelled speculation this week in a GQ interview, saying AR is “exciting” and that the company has a history of going its own way with innovations, even amid doubts.
“I’m not interested in putting together pieces of somebody else’s stuff,” he told GQ, saying that the release of the iPhone and Apple Watch both had their detractors.
Cook did not confirm plans for Apple eyewear, instead focussing more broadly on the promise of VR/AR and defending the time it would take to release a product.
“Apple is going to try to put its spin on it, and then lead others to water,” Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi said of AR/VR products. “We all know that once Apple gets into something, others follow.”
Apple’s approach to the metaverse would likely be different from Meta’s, which proclaimed it the future of the Internet but slowed its substantial investments.
Cook’s version of AR emphasises a world in which an Apple product could “overlay” the real one with virtual imagery to create something better.
Meta’s experience with the metaverse has been humbling despite it being a leader in the emergent sector.
Less than 18 months after changing its name to Meta to reflect a metaverse priority, the Facebook giant has fired tens of thousands of staff and promised to get back to basics.
“What Meta wants to do and what Apple wants to do are two different things,” Milanesi said.
Meta is out to create an immersive, digital form of Facebook which relies on advertising to make money, she noted. Apple’s business model is geared to selling people premium devices and then hawk games, apps, films and more to be consumed using the hardware, the analyst said.
For example, Apple could craft AR/VR versions of its streaming services that give viewers prime virtual seats to films or concerts.
Glasses or goggles would play to its strength while expanding its ecosystem, according to Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives.
“Apple has a golden installed two billion (device) users while Microsoft and Meta are swimming in enemy waters looking to go after this market opportunity,” Ives said of the metaverse ambitions.
“It’s a hardware play which goes into Apple’s sweet spot as further penetrating its customer base.”
Wedbush believes Apple will unveil “Glasses” headsets at the developers conference in June, at a price in the vicinity of USD2,500, though others said USD3,000.
Analysts Avi Greengart of Techsponential and Rob Enderle of Enderle Group advised caution chasing Apple rumours.
“After Facebook lost a large amount of money doing it, it seems an odd time to launch a consumer headset,” Enderle said. “I hope Apple sees the writing on the wall; but maybe they have a train on the tracks and it is hard to stop it.”
