Apple would work on virtual reality glasses in the route to the augmented reality glasses. This is why the company has to look to Facebook for that.
Apple VR and the Oculus Quest
While we’re mainly looking forward to Apple’s augmented reality glasses, as this can really add something new to the way we interact with technology and the world, Apple seems to be hitting the market with virtual reality glasses first.
Just to clarify: VR and AR are two different things. With virtual reality (VR) you close yourself off from the real world, to fully immerse yourself in a virtual world. With augmented reality (AR), digital elements are added to the real world.
The focus is therefore first on virtual reality. That means no small eye-catching glasses, but a large bowl in front of your face with a band around your head. Not one to walk around with, but to get started at home. The prototypes that Apple now works with would according to Bloomberg resemble the Oculus Quest. Fortunately.
Why the Oculus Quest is so good
For a long time, virtual reality did not really get off the ground. There was a lot of hard work, because VR the next best thing had to be. Smartphone manufacturers, for example, threw themselves en masse into glasses, where the phone could be inserted. These glasses disappeared one by one, with Samsung having lasted the longest.
Then there was the more expensive segment, from Oculus and HTC. These companies came up with cool glasses, but the user-friendliness and the price were not there yet. For example, the glasses still had to be connected to a very expensive computer to be able to play.
But then the Oculus Quest came on the market: a small game console for your head. Although the image was not super nice yet, the rest was correct. The controllers were nice and games were available. The glasses were sturdy and fit, and even had cameras so you could see through the glasses. Above all, virtual reality became accessible, because you only have to sit the thing on your head and you are in a different world in no time.
What Apple Can Do Better
So if Apple copes with the Oculus Quest, that’s good news, but there are important ways in which the glasses can be improved. The main thing is already one of Apple’s strengths: your privacy.
The Oculus Quest is owned by Facebook. Recently you have to link a Facebook account to the use of the glasses. You can come up with this, but then you run a great risk. If your Facebook account is blocked, you will not be able to access your games and apps.
Facebook is not the most reliable party when it comes to your data, the social network has shown time and again. So is it a smart idea to give Facebook access to a series of cameras on your head that see your entire house? And know exactly how you move?
Apple can come out with glasses that you can wear without fear. But a big question mark remains. Facebook and Oculus now have tons of cool games to play on the Quest. That is the real reason why people get such glasses at home. How can Apple compete with that?
Everything about the Apple glasses
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