Apple: Spatial Computing, Metaverse & Entertainment

With events from music to sport increasingly taking place in the virtual space, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, the way people consume entertainment has changed. 

Capable of providing immersive experiences for users, metaverse technologies are predicted to change way people use the internet. But while the hype of metaverse technologies may have faded in 2024 - replaced by generative AI - Gartner predicts that at least 25% of people will spend at least an hour daily in a metaverse setting for either entertainment or work in the future.

Highlighting consumers’ interest in innovative solutions, Apple has revealed how its long-awaited entry into the sector with its Apple Vision Pro headset, described as the company’s boldest new product in many years, will enable new entertainment experiences for users.

“Virtual and augmented reality have been through a period of intense scrutiny and scepticism in recent times but if one company has the star power to revive the segment, it’s Apple,” comments Leo Gebbie, Principal Analyst, Connected Devices at CCS Insight.

“Apple stepping into spatial computing is an exciting vote of confidence for the category, and we expect to see more from the company in coming years.”

Apple creating the ‘ultimate entertainment device’

Apple says Vision Pro will enable users to watch new shows and films from top streaming services, allowing them enjoy all-new spatial experiences.

Running Apple’s own visionOS operating system, Apple says Vision Pro lets users interact with digital content in a way that “feels like it is physically present in their space”. The headset features an ultra-high-resolution display system that packs 23 million pixels across two displays, and custom Apple silicon in a unique dual-chip design. 

“Apple Vision Pro is the ultimate entertainment device,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple SVP of Worldwide Marketing. “Users can turn any place into the best seat in the house, enjoy personal concerts and adventures with Apple Immersive Video, interact with lifelike prehistoric creatures in Encounter Dinosaurs, and even land on the surface of the moon using Environments. It’s unlike anything users have ever seen before and we can’t wait for them to experience it for themselves.”

Providing more immersive experiences for users, Apple will help The Walt Disney Company provide new ways to engage fans through its Vision Pro headset.

“At Disney, we’re constantly searching for new ways to entertain, inform, and inspire by combining exceptional creativity with groundbreaking technology to create truly remarkable experiences,” said Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary platform that will bring our fans closer to the characters and stories they love while immersing them more deeply in all that Disney has to offer. We’re proud to once again be partnering with Apple to bring extraordinary new Disney experiences to people around the world.”

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