60% of “software and marketing industry leaders” believe that the rumoured reveal of Apple’s VR/AR headset – if true – would be a landmark on par with the reveal of the original iPhone.
That’s according to a survey conducted by enterprise CMS platform Storyblok, who found that 80% of those polled were “very interested” or “somewhat interested” in creating content for the headset, while a majority would pay up to $2000 for the tech and at least 58% believe VR/AR will be the next big platform.
The headset, which is rumoured to be revealed at Apple’s WWDC event starting on June 5, is speculated to be a combination VR/AR device running its own new OS with strong links to iOS.
Co-founder and CEO of Stroyblok, Dominik Angerer said, “Apple and the entire VR/AR industry have a lot riding on the rumoured headset announcement at WWDC. The data shows that businesses believe VR/AR is the future of content, but after so many false starts in recent years, marketers are clearly more sceptical about the potential of the technology right now.
“The good news for Apple is that developers are very enthusiastic about building for the platform, even though they don’t know anything about it. The level of support from developers will ultimately make or break the product. If they build experiences that draw people in and keep them coming back, marketers will naturally follow their lead with the same level of enthusiasm.”
Alternative realities
At present, with no officially confirmed hardware on the way, it’s perhaps the rumoured $2000 to $3000 price tag that’s influencing chat as to the product’s immediate uses and destination. This ‘enterprise’ pricing is certainly placing the device as a serious business and creator’s tool rather than a mass market device for purely entertainment needs with an exploding App Store full of apps. It’s to be hoped however that a further generation will see the headset become more affordable (and perhaps smaller and lighter) and Apple’s VR/AR boom can kick off.
However it’s worth noting that – at least on paper for now – Apple is following the same pricey strategy as Meta thus far – a company whose headsets have won plaudits but are still years away from being the ‘smash hit’ that the company requires and has predicted.
It remains to be seen if Apple’s tech has that extra spark to go that bit further.
If Apple can get the hardware right, both in terms of capability and pricing, the scene is already set for software makers with long-established Apple’s AR kit framework already in play and in the hands of developer’s worldwide.
Porting existing AR kit apps including perennial favourite VRChat should be fairly simple therefore. And as to what the new hardware will allow beyond this and what countless talented developers will dream up for it? All will be revealed on June 5.
