CNN
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Once you get past the comical appearance of the Apple Vision Pro and similar virtual reality headsets and the “WALL-E” images of people walking around with such devices strapped to their faces, consider what kind of content might be useful. You can start. That in itself has inspired this amazing technology. It certainly depends on personal preference, but sampling the device can give you a glimpse of the future and how to get the most out of it.
Perhaps only the most dedicated early adopters will feel the need to rush out and buy the Vision Pro at its initial $3,500 price. But this is definitely a user-friendly attempt to introduce the idea of immersive viewing to the public, and will eventually be phased out, price-wise. The better question is not whether we need it now (we don't), but whether it's a taste of what's to come (it is). And as a film and television critic, what do you think you would benefit most from this medium? (Disclosure: Laurie's wife works for a division of Apple.)
In an early review for CNN Underscored, Mike Andronico cited Movies as the Vision Pro's killer app, calling watching movies using the headset “the most immersive entertainment experience I've ever tried. “And it's optimized to make you feel good.” Return to your own personal theater. ”
Others have pointed out, somewhat sarcastically, that porn is the ultimate material for the Vision Pro, a genre that Apple doesn't support, as The Daily Beast pointed out. That aside, note that assuming there is a special market for it, those producers will inevitably find a way to take advantage of it.
Still, no matter how impressive the Vision Pro's ability to create a sense of immersion is, the at-home movie-watching experience with its large, high-resolution screen and enhanced sound is already very good.
Therefore, the more interesting content seems to fall into two main categories. One is nature/adventure cuisine with the ability to immerse the viewer in those experiences. At sports and other live events, you can essentially sit on your couch and feel like you're right in the middle of the action (minus the “alien” thing on your face).
During the Vision Pro demonstration, the nature/adventure short film that Apple created for the device definitely stood out. From feeling like a rhinoceros (or dinosaur) is inches away from you, to the dizzying vertigo of High Liner Face staring at her over the shoulder of her dickie, to the dizzying sensation of walking a tightrope across Norway's 3,000-foot-tall fjords. did.
But that market seems much more limited than what the Vision Pro can do from a sports and concert perspective. That means sitting in the front row during a soccer game or right behind the goalie with his 180 degree field of view. Alicia Keys' performance. We'll take you to the rim with NBA stars. I look around the locker room as the team celebrates their victory.
When you factor in the cost of sports tickets and concerts, the Vision Pro's sky-high price tag suddenly starts to feel at least a little less outlandish in terms of return on investment.
Another benefit of sports and live music is that you don't have to follow a story, it's really about the experience. This technology enhances just that. Sure, immersing yourself in the world of Avatar: The Way of Water looks spectacular, but even following its basic plot is more intellectual than intuitive quality that makes the most of the VR environment. is required.
As mentioned above, it may take some time for such consumption to reach some kind of critical mass, but it may not be as far away as we think. After all, talking to an invisible artificial voice named “Alexa” or participating in a video chat on a handheld device would have sounded like science fiction not too long ago.
If VR is destined to be one of the next iterations of our digital lives, what else will we consume besides popcorn? Dinosaurs and daredevils have their place, too, but through goggles. After spending some time looking at the world, the words that came to mind most were “take a hit” and “hit the ball.”
