🥽 The battle to dominate a nascent virtual reality space just began

If Meta was seeking validation in its quest for a virtual reality world, it just got one – but, one that could pose a serious threat to its dominance in the space.

I mean, we are talking about a major rival that has an existing loyal customer base of more than two billion devices, a large base of developers and a strong app store ecosystem (which, by the way, generated $1.1 trillion in total billings and sales in 2022), powerful hardware chips, and access to hundreds of physical stores where consumers can potentially try on its AR/VR headsets.

Yes, Apple, the biggest company in the world, made its intentions known this week that it is officially entering the VR headset race with Vision Pro, a pricey $3,500 VR headset that blends digital content with the physical world while allowing users to stay present and connected to others.

I've watched loads of gadget reviewers' take on the device, and I think that it is powerful and innovative. Although I've imagined the wide range of potential use cases, the apps and the experiences that this device could bring along, I'm still not sold – especially because of the cost.

With only 10.1 million AR/VR headsets to be shipped globally in 2023, according to IDC estimates, I just don't see Apple driving widespread consumer adoption of mixed-reality headsets as it has done with its iPhones.

– Loy