Top executives in the augmented and virtual reality space say that Apple’s mixed-reality headset entry is a watershed moment for the industry and they welcomed competition for the US tech company.
Apple unveiled its Vision Pro headset at its yearly WWDC event and ended months of curiosity.
Cher Wang, the Taiwanese tech Company HTC’s CEO, said that she sees Apple’s step as a validation for the industry.
HTC’s CEO said, “Apple’s entry into the market is a watershed moment for the industry and a big validation of everything HTC VIVE has been working on. This will bring even more confidence in the global market for VR.”
She added, “The closed nature of Apple’s services ecosystem — which is more restrictive when it comes to the platforms and devices through which users access its services — is problematic. Apple has historically used a closed ecosystem for its iOS products and content distribution platforms, which could limit developers in a new value chain. If developers are locked into one ecosystem, it’s difficult for them to maximize their reach.”
Apple says, “The Vision Pro will allow users to see apps in a new way in the surrounding spaces. Users can use their eyes and hands to navigate through apps and search with their voices.
With the headset, users can watch movies, including in 3D with spatial audio, they can view their own pictures and videos, and play video games as well. It can be used for work through videoconferencing applications such as Microsoft Office tools and Adobe Lightroom.
Apple added, “Vision Pro will run on visionOS, a new spatial computing platform designed specifically for the company’s new headset to enable developers to build apps as they would for iOS on the iPhone. It will be starting at $3,499 beginning early next year.”
