Live data from Hacker News

Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

medium.com

11–20 of 72 posts

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#11
VR has its use cases. But the question is, will it be like 3D for mass market? Everybody praised 3D when it started a few years back. But now 3D seems to be dead, with the few exceptions like movie cinemas. Even most of the TV manufacturers seems to get rid of it.

So what about VR? Only a hype by the tech savvy community and the lost and forgotten in a few years when it should be ready for mass market?

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#12
post #2

Personally I don't care much for VR in general. It's more like the new opium for the masses once it's affordable. While VR promotes escaping in virtual realities (hence, the name), Apple is looking for ways to improve your actual world with it's products (no marketing intended). This is where AR will matter, not VR. Google kinda pioneered here with Glass, Apple gave it a shot with it's wearable devive (watch), and I'…

How does it feel being such an Apple fanboy? :)

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#13
post #6

VR is not yet 'here' and is not currently delivering, but it is promising a lot. The form factor alone has challenges which the public will not be willing to sacrifice for the experience, which could turn out to be mostly a gimmick. Some things people don't think about; -) looking at your keyboard/input device whilst wearing a VR headset -) being the same room as other people for prolonged periods of time with a head…

What are you going to experience on VR, that needs VR so bad? Elite: Dangerous. DiRT Rally. Minecraft. Movies, and interestingly, documentaries. These are all currently available. Further down the line, VR will replace multi-screen setups. As a developer I'm very excited to code in a VR IDE.

It'll be great for video games. it'll be useful for movies and documentaries if they weren't "flat". And really only useful for solo experience with them. TVs are large enough and cheap enough that with the lights dimmed you get a similar experience to a VR headset, but shared with others in the same room.

I'm not totally sold on the virtual desktop concept, but I'd be willing to try it. But I, personally, benefit greatly from actual tactile feedback with paper and handwriting. A multi-sensory experience (touch, sight, smell, sound) is far better than a 1-2 sense experience (sight w/ maybe sound) for memory retention and recollection.

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#14
post #6

VR is not yet 'here' and is not currently delivering, but it is promising a lot. The form factor alone has challenges which the public will not be willing to sacrifice for the experience, which could turn out to be mostly a gimmick. Some things people don't think about; -) looking at your keyboard/input device whilst wearing a VR headset -) being the same room as other people for prolonged periods of time with a head…

I don't want to feel like there is a brick strapped to my head.

VR won't be a mass market product until the brick becomes less brick-like.

The VR market is likely to be limited to gamers and a few devs for at least the next few years. That's not a tiny market, but it's much smaller than the market for phones and tablets.

It's also unlikely to take off until VR becomes social, with couples and families all playing in the same virtual space on the same hardware.

Costs and hardware requirements make that impossibly expensive for now.

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#15
post #11

VR has its use cases. But the question is, will it be like 3D for mass market? Everybody praised 3D when it started a few years back. But now 3D seems to be dead, with the few exceptions like movie cinemas. Even most of the TV manufacturers seems to get rid of it. So what about VR? Only a hype by the tech savvy community and the lost and forgotten in a few years when it should be ready for mass market?

3D was never really there as a technology, it was pseudo-3D.

VR tech is actually quite impressive, and as a result people will figure out how to apply it to humans.

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#16
post #11

VR has its use cases. But the question is, will it be like 3D for mass market? Everybody praised 3D when it started a few years back. But now 3D seems to be dead, with the few exceptions like movie cinemas. Even most of the TV manufacturers seems to get rid of it. So what about VR? Only a hype by the tech savvy community and the lost and forgotten in a few years when it should be ready for mass market?

I think it's very much like 3D and will fail to be a wide commercial success for the same reasons.

-With standard 2D monitors, nobody has to wear equipment on their heads.

-People have physical reactions to 3D/VR that they don't normally have in a 2D monitor.

-3D/VR requires each participant to have their own set of gear.

I think there's a lot of hype because many gamers are really excited the technology, and because we don't have any other up-and-coming tech to latch onto these days.

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#17
post #3

Apple doesn't innovate. It combines proven technologies into polished products. When VR has proven itself, with R&D investments of other companies, Apple will release a near-perfect refinement of all things VR and everyone will hail them as the savior who brought VR to the world.

Apple won't have pornography. This will kill their VR ambitions.

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#18
post #3

Apple doesn't innovate. It combines proven technologies into polished products. When VR has proven itself, with R&D investments of other companies, Apple will release a near-perfect refinement of all things VR and everyone will hail them as the savior who brought VR to the world.

Yes, that's what Microsoft used to do. As odd as it sounds because that doesn't 'sound' like leadership to those who don't understand how technology and science works as iterative processes. That was when they were the de facto industry leader for decades. Now Apple is that leader. It's not a slight to say Apple is the new Microsoft. It's a massive accomplishment to have taken the mantle of the tech industry leader that everyone looks to.

Everyone, whether it's on top of love, hate or indifference, wants to comment on Apple. That's how you know you've won (the money probably doesn't hurt either).

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#19
post #6

VR is not yet 'here' and is not currently delivering, but it is promising a lot. The form factor alone has challenges which the public will not be willing to sacrifice for the experience, which could turn out to be mostly a gimmick. Some things people don't think about; -) looking at your keyboard/input device whilst wearing a VR headset -) being the same room as other people for prolonged periods of time with a head…

To that we can add the biggest problem: nausea.

Re: Why is Apple asleep at the wheel with VR?

#20
post #4

Note: Have not read article, going from title. Apple is usually not a first to market type. They are a first to market with an amazing, polished, product type. They'll wait to see what gets proved in the market and what doesn't.

> They are a first to market with an amazing, polished, product type

That hasn't been true for a long time. The iPad might have been the last product fitting that description, and it was released in 2010.

Post reply on HN