Tim Cook calls spatial computing in Apple Vision Pro an 'aha moment' in a user's life
Apple CEO Tim Cook believes spatial computing is a profound technology, with it adding more ways for developers to succeed on top of the already "outstanding" App Store.
Apple CEO Tim Cook
Cook was in the UK to end his tour of Europe on behalf of the company, and spoke as part of his visit to Apple's Battersea Power Station headquarters in London. As well as commenting on Apple's work on AI, he also discussed apps and the Apple Vision Pro.
"I think the apps today are outstanding," Cook said according to the Independent.. "It's a reminder of the empowerment of the App Store. I'm still amazed that an entrepreneur in any country in the world in a basement can start a company and it can be global like that."
As well as the existing success of the App Store, Cook also talked about the Apple Vision Pro, a headset using spatial computing that is expected to arrive in early 2024.
Cook offers that developers are looking forward to the headset's release. "We have developer labs in London and Munich, and we're seeing some incredible work. There's so much excitement out there."
The Apple Vision Pro is now part of Cook's nightly routine, which helps further his understanding of how it could become a major product down the road. He is also keen on getting others to don the head-mounted display for themselves.
"There are huge differences in how people look at it, depending on if they're read about it or actually tried it," he explained. "I believe even more about how profound spatial computing is. When you've tried it, it's an aha moment, and you only have a few of those in a lifetime."
The CEO also touched upon the view that Apple considers itself "tool makers" for people to change the world.
"We've always believed our tools should be as easy to use as our products, so we try to make the developer tools simple. It's the developer's idea that's the big lift, not the act of doing it themselves. It's great to see the validation of that playing out."
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Comments
I wonder, is the Apple VR Cook’s Newton?
I feel like Apple is doing an awful lot of pretending here. And those championing the product are too. Riding the coattails of other confident successes where Apple was right to be confident. There are seeing if they can actually fake the confidence, and create a market as a result. I just don't see it, because you will never fake people into spending $3500+, and you won't fake them into wearing it for any length of time.
No one ever looked at the iPhone and said, "Ugh I have to hold this thing in order to use it?"
No one ever looked at the Apple Watch and said "Ugh I have to wear this thing in order to use it?"
No one ever looked at the HomePod and said "Ugh I have to plug this thing in and put it out of the way somewhere in order to use it?"
No one ever looked at the AppleTV and said "Ugh I have to plug this thing into my TV and watch it?"
These are not objectionable products. The VisionPro is objectionable hardware from the start. People in the microscopic VR community seem to take for granted that shitty uncomfortable hardware is to be expected if you want such an experience. That shouldn't be acceptable to Apple, because it certainly isn't acceptable to average consumers.
When the Mac was released, people who were used to computers scoffed at the need to use a mouse and derided it as an under-powered toy. But within 15 years every desktop computer sported a GUI and a pointing device, despite the compromises that required.
So I'm quite bullish on the future of the Apple Vision Pro specifically and spatial computing in general. As with earlier devices we will see miniaturisation and performance improvements that will make the first generation seem antiquated after a mere decade. Having worn spectacles for 35 years now and having worn a helmet for kart racing I'm not averse to having a potentially heavy object on my head as long as the balance is correct and the experience the object enables brings benefits that outweigh the drawbacks. Nausea is the only troublesome aspect but from all reports Apple have managed to minimise that issue as well as the "world-isolating" aspect of VR headsets, so I expect the product to be quite successful.
https://lowendmac.com/1999/the-mac-is-a-toy/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/the-macintosh-is-a-toy.804946/
No direct quotes, but the implication is clear.
I personally cannot wait.
The Apple Vision product seems like the exact opposite of this. It has this vibe that feels a lot like "what awesome technology do we have and how can we market it?" It feels like it's a solution in search of a real problem. A problem that no one—or at least very few people—has.