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Apple finally took the wraps off its Vision Pro augmented reality headset this week after literally years of speculation. All eyes have been on Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who changed the name of his company because he believed so strongly in the future of the metaverse and virtual reality. For now, Zuckerberg is striking a confident tone, saying that Apple’s headset showcases different “values and vision.”
Zuckerberg’s comments come from a video chat with employees on Thursday. The meeting was not public, but The Verge was able to review the video. In it, Zuckerberg says that Apple didn’t present any substantial technological advancements that Meta’s engineers had not at least considered.
Apple claims the Vision Pro is the most advanced consumer electronic device ever created, and it is bristling with cameras and sensors. Its demos showed how someone could casually lounge on a couch while tapping, scrolling, and interacting with virtual content. Zuckerberg called this out as a different take on extended reality (XR) compared with what Meta does. Meta’s headsets include motion controllers with buttons and hand-tracking features. However, Apple is relying entirely on hand tracking, and its take on the feature looks more reliable even if it’s less powerful.
The Meta Quest 3.
Credit: Meta
After avoiding the “M-word” in recent appearances, the Facebook founder also talked up his vision for the metaverse during the meeting. “Our vision for the metaverse and presence is fundamentally social,” Zuckerberg said. “Every demo that they showed was a person sitting on a couch by themself.” As rumors suggested, Apple didn’t even mention the metaverse in its Vision Pro unveiling.
Zuck also pointed out that the upcoming Meta Quest 3 will cost just a fraction as much as the Vision Pro. That’s something Meta knows a lot about after trying to launch the Quest Pro at $1,500 before dropping it to an even thousand. Apple’s headset will retail for $3,500, smashing even the most pessimistic leaks. By comparison, the Quest 3 will start at $500.
The Vision Pro does justify the high price with incredible hardware, including what will probably be the best VR display on any headset. But it’s so expensive that Zuckerberg doesn’t seem worried about Apple eating Meta’s lunch. Still, if Apple was to release a second-gen Vision Pro with a lower price, that could put Meta in a tough spot.
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