I sort of understand these headsets/glasses thingies are important in interesting to gamers. I'm not a gamer, so I can't really imagine a use for these device for myself. YMMV.
However, the "mixed" reality mention in this article helped me connect the dots (!) a bit: a VR device might (might) be an interesting add-on to watching a sports event, even on a HDTV; or possibly even live. I thing there was a recent report regarding the NFL sunday ticket contract negotiations that might point to Apple wanting to do this.
I'm just struggling to figure out what these things are for. Guess I lack imagination.
There are a few non-gaming related uses for each of the varieties of XR. There have been PTSD and phobia patients who've been helped by virtual reality therapy sessions. Augmented reality can be of use when performing tasks with which one is unfamiliar, or when more information is needed that can be discerned simply by looking. Think of watching a YouTube video of how to, for instance, install a new headlamp in a modern care, and how much easier that might be if information were overlaid on the actual scene in front of you, instead of having to look away and orient a screen.
As the technology improves, more use cases will become feasible, and while a future such as Ready Player One is pretty dystopian, there are some pretty desirable applications for advanced XR technology.
Sure. But are those desirable application enough to justify designing, making, and supporting this commercial product? Is Apple really going to sell million, tens of millions of them to even recover the costs of investment, much less make profit? I'm just not comprehending the economics.
The people and companies working on them, who presumably do comprehended the economics, seem to think so...
Comments
The people and companies working on them, who presumably do comprehended the economics, seem to think so...