Reports suggest that Apple’s upcoming VR headset will incorporate high-definition screens in front of the user’s eyes, providing an immersive virtual reality experience. Additionally, the headset may include high-powered cameras that allow users to see and interact with the real world, blurring the line between virtual and physical environments—an approach known as passthrough or mixed reality.
Apple’s entrance into the VR market comes at a time when the industry as a whole is facing challenges and undergoing a period of disillusionment. Despite the current state of the AR/VR market and the hype surrounding the concept of the metaverse, Apple has a track record of inventing new categories and disrupting existing markets.
While Facebook’s rebranding as Meta in 2021 brought attention to VR and the potential for metaverse-enabled headsets, the sales of existing VR headsets have not been remarkable, and user engagement has been relatively low. The expected surge in successful VR software companies has yet to materialize.
Nevertheless, analysts, such as Wamsi Mohan from Bank of America, acknowledge that Apple has the potential to create new markets and disrupt existing ones with its innovative approach. Despite the challenges and current state of the industry, Apple’s entry into the VR space could pave the way for advancements and renewed interest in virtual reality experiences.