Apple has given us the keys to the next metaverse. But don’t expect the current version to be a hit. The immersive AR/VR is a deep play.
Tonight I was thinking of watching a sci-fi classic, Johnny Mnemonic. I’m getting warmed up for the next Dune movie. There on the floor is my AVPro in its dumbass white puffy case. All charged up and ready for entertainment, and…
Why the Apple Vision Pro Is Disappointing
There is simply not enough immersive content to be excited by the Apple Vision Pro. After the glow wears off, after you’ve had Alicia Keys sing to your face, and watched ADVENTURE and the amazing high liner Faith Dickey, there’s not a ton of “oh wow” content left. There’s Fruit Ninja by Halfbrick that does a massive cool job of demonstrating what AR is going to do to gaming. And…
We’re done.
I watched Dune in 3D and while it was impressive, it was old 3D tricks. More like a depth filter applied while filming. I’m thinking of watching Avatar 3D to give that one a go. But, let’s face it, 3D pre-AVPro was a parlor trick. Immersive 3D on the AVPro has changed the playing field. There’s just not much content to show it off.
There’s not going to be great/amazing/have to watch content for the Apple Vision Pro for years unless it’s fully funded by Apple. That’s not unlikely, if they achieve their 400,000 units goal this year. But, there’s no market, no financial incentive, for the Ridley Scotts and Dennis Villeneuves of the world, to pay for immersive 3D. Unless Apple funds the production. And with such a tiny install base even Apple is unlikely to produce episode 2 of Adventure anytime soon. There is no mention of future episodes in AppleTV+
Apple has truly given us a next-gen 3D and AV device. The resolution blows anything Mr. Zuckerberg had in mind for Meta’s product line. His “review” last week was humourous in his arrogance and misunderstanding that he will need to rebuild everything Meta’s ever created for the metaverse. Apple changed the game for all of us. It’s going to be a bit longer before the blockbuster or killer app arrives. There are not enough units in place for sales to be an incentive. So, what’s the other incentive? Apple funds your project.
Does Apple need the AVPro to succeed? Other than embarrassment, if the AVPro tanks over the next few years, Tim Cook will not be ousted. It was a gamble. They waited and planned and designed something completely different. The Apple Vision Pro is a masterpiece of technology. And it suffers from Version 1 issues.
- heavy
- battery tethered in your pocket
- a bit tight on the forehead to get a good light seal
- expensive
The biggest gap however is going to be CONTENT. And for content to come on line in immersive 3D we’re going to need Apple to sell a boatload of AVPros. So, it’s a bit of a chicken and egg problem for Apple. They waited as long as they could. They funded a few amazing demo pieces. Now, we all wait to see if anything about the AVPro catches fire.
Tonight, I chose to write this review rather than watch the amazing movie adapting a William Gibson short story. And when I do tune back in to Johnny, I’m not going to be wearing my AVPro. THAT IS A HUGE PROBLEM.
PRE-ARRIVAL REVERIE
In justifying my $4,000 purchase of the AVPro I told myself things like
- “it’s going to change entertainment”
- “we need to get some of our devs and designers working on AVPro content immediately”
- “i can’t wait to surround myself in the new Dune movie”
- “what is the ZOO TV concert from U2 going to look like inside the AVPro?”
- “i wonder what adult content is going to look like on an AVPro” (sorry, it’s being discussed and currently blocked by Apple)
Tonight, I have AVPro Disappointment. There’s no other way to describe it. I’ve got a $4,000 device that has so much promise. And I’ve watched all the REAL immersive content. And the other stuff, we’ll my home theater setup is pretty good. And a MacBook Pro and Airpods is a pretty good environment as well.
Tools Tools Tools
It will be exciting to see if the Apple Developer Program can really get jamming on the Apple Vision Pro side of the house. What tools are going to be made available to repurpose great content (video, movies, games) for the AVPro? How about MYST in an immersive environment? I’d play the entire game again. And I’d pay a couple hundred dollars for the content. So, it’s going to happen. Tools will be provided for wrapping your movie around a semi-immersive screen environment for the AVPro. But, it’s all a bit of a kludge until the real 3D content arrives.
I have given about 20 introductions to people, sharing my AVPro experience with friends. And the “oh wow, oh wow, oh wow” moments are fun. And then I have nothing else to really show them. Adventure is truly the perfect demo reel. But it’s only 9 minutes long. A great nine minutes. A fantastic story of struggle, courage, and achievement from the magical guide, who leads high-linning adventures around the world. It’s a perfect immersive entertainment experience. It’s a thrill.
The thrill is over. I want a new thrill for my AVPro. I want to crave an AVPro game or long-form content show. I want to be able to take movies on my Mac and make them spectacular through the AVPro. And, there is not much available today, that makes me want to pick up my AVPro and power up the magic. I am certain I will watch Adventure another 100 times. And I’m hoping to have XX on my podcast in August, when she says, “My calendar opens up a bit more.”
We are here, on the edge of the unknown. Apple has shown us the cliff. We’ve had short bursts of brilliance with immersive 3D. And who knows if there is going to be a Blade Runner 2099 IMMERSIVE in our future. I’m sure it took a while for IMAX to catch on. This is a bit like that. Expensive equipment for both capture and display. Same with previous-generation 3D movies. They faded as the novelty wore off. Dune is better in sharp 4K than 3D all day, every day. Thus my AVPro is getting dusty rather than broken in.
I am optimistic. I have an exploratory team working on some AVPro ideas. And… We all await the next move for 3D and AV entertainment. Apple has shown us the way. Is the world going to respond and reward Apple for its big risk?
Tune in and find out in next week’s episode.
John McElhenney — LinkedIn
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