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New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

arstechnica.com

281–290 of 465 posts

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#281

I can’t wait for a truly usable VR headset. I’ve tried them all, and they’re all pretty terrible in terms of resolution, screen door, etc. The content, and non-visual tech is all there. Everything is primed. Now we just need a headset that has proper resolution. I’m hoping Apple gets this right, clearly they understand the true issue with VR by focusing on resolution.

I wouldn't say terrible, just like I wouldn't say the gameboy advance had terrible resolution. Sure, it does now, but it'll certainly get better with time and it's hard for me to think that it's the primary issue with VR.

I suppose it's the issue if your expectation of VR is resolution-sensitive. But good VR apps will just treat that as a limitation and factor it in. GBA apps of the time were pixel-art, and resolution was never its "main problem" (batteries were), because you weren't using it to watch movies or something.

IMO a lot of the true VR issues have been fixed by now. Pass-through, standalone wireless, baseless hand tracking, no more headaches, etc… A lot of the work that remains is incremental improvements (such as resolution, battery life, FOV, weight, tracking accuracy). I would personally like to see some very-low-latency wireless earbud support, too. Once again the Quest 2's over-the-ear system is great.

The most severe issues I have with VR right now are very much not software/hardware related, but rather have to do with sweating: Band getting dirty, lenses fogging up. The fact a lot of VR apps are fitness based makes this a serious problem, at least for me.

The real "true issue" of VR currently is probably the lack of apps. There's fairly few killer apps, especially on the much more restrictive Quest line.

But I agree with you there's a huge potential for "retina" VR.

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#282
post #95

Bear in mind that the iPad was rumored to cost >$1000 but then launched at $499. On the other hand it might sense to launch this as a pro-workstation for the usual kinds of task: architects, designers and engineers being able to visualize and interact with models directly in space. If they can make that affordable and usable for pro designers at every level, (which $3500 clearly would be), they will have a hit. A con…

Having done a fair bit of AR/VR work in medical and industrial settings, I've always thought the 'killer app' of VR is not in gaming. It's this very weekend: The Super Bowl. Well, not the Super Bowl precisely, but in experiences like sports or other time/space limited events. Sitting ring-side for the next big match. Or at the 50-yard line at the Super Bowl. Or at the finish line of the 100-m dash. All for, I dunno,…

>experiences like sports or other time/space limited event

How would streaming work with a custom point/angle of view? Can the participant walk, move head - etc. Unless all the possible cameras are streamed AND processed locally the latency would destroy the experience.

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#283

This is an intentional leak. Apple is trying to see what the reaction is. They've got some negative press recently for pricing things a little too high (say a $1k monitor stand or $700 wheels). They're watching to see what the reaction to the rumor is. If people say 'no one would ever pay that', then they'll dial it back a bit. If the reaction is 'eh, maybe for those specs', then full steam ahead. Either way, they ca…

Seems like a conspiracy theory. Apple has years of experience creating products that people love at all different price points (original iPhone was crazy expensive, for example).

If the product is legitimately better than everything else on the market, it doesn't matter how expensive it is on initial launch.

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#284
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? I mostly have zero interest in being immersed in meetings. Most people aren't IRL most of the time. There's potentially value where people need to be on-site in other contexts such as repairing equipment.

It obviates the need for a ridiculous number of business trips.

I disagree. Business trips won't ever be a thing of the past. Most people enjoy traveling and see it as a perk rather than hassle.

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

VRChat w positional audio is superior to just talking on the phone or thru a video conference I’d say

I was never arguing that VRChat/social apps are worse than other remote social experiences (phone call / video conference, etc.). My point is that it is very isolating and impossible to share the experience in any meaningful way with folks around you, or just be present at all while doing something in VR. Like I can play Mario on my TV while sharing that experience with my kids or chatting with my wife about things,…

> My point is that it is very isolating and impossible to share the experience in any meaningful way with folks around you

There are an awfully large number of people who are currently literally isolated and unable to share any experiences with anyone.

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#286

8k seems... optimistic. The PPI of such a display would be off the charts. Not to mention the kind of hardware required to run such a device. The NVIDIA RTX 3090 can barely run a 3D 8k game at 30fps, let alone in 3D for VR. What would you even connect such a device with? Displayport and HDMI wouldn't support two 8k streams.

If you want the latest AAA game in ultra quality, then of course no GPU can run it at 8k. But I'm pretty sure a RTX 3090 can run older games at 8k.

I suspect an RTX 3090 could run many Oculus Quest 2 games at 8k.

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#287
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple doesn't dominate games so its not so clear they would dominate VR. Apple will need to nail the killer app to jump start adoption and an app store. The majority of Apple's full stack integration stops right before the content.

If you ask me, video games aren’t the future of VR. They’re fun but the most memorable experiences are social. VR FaceTime + shared experiences and spaces will take the cake.

If an online multiplayer, 3D shared space with the ability to exchange information and have fun isn't a game, then what is?

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#288

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was never arguing that VRChat/social apps are worse than other remote social experiences (phone call / video conference, etc.). My point is that it is very isolating and impossible to share the experience in any meaningful way with folks around you, or just be present at all while doing something in VR. Like I can play Mario on my TV while sharing that experience with my kids or chatting with my wife about things,…

> My point is that it is very isolating and impossible to share the experience in any meaningful way with folks around you There are an awfully large number of people who are currently literally isolated and unable to share any experiences with anyone.

Even sans pandemic, my family all lives several states away (drivable), and my extended family are all even further (flying distance). In person connnections are great, but it’s not like I can just pop over for dinner after work.

I haven’t gotten any of them to join me on the VR train, but as it grows I think that’s a big use case for it. You can hang out together with someone in a VR space in a way that video chat doesn’t capture.

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#289
post #95

Bear in mind that the iPad was rumored to cost >$1000 but then launched at $499. On the other hand it might sense to launch this as a pro-workstation for the usual kinds of task: architects, designers and engineers being able to visualize and interact with models directly in space. If they can make that affordable and usable for pro designers at every level, (which $3500 clearly would be), they will have a hit. A con…

Having done a fair bit of AR/VR work in medical and industrial settings, I've always thought the 'killer app' of VR is not in gaming. It's this very weekend: The Super Bowl. Well, not the Super Bowl precisely, but in experiences like sports or other time/space limited events. Sitting ring-side for the next big match. Or at the 50-yard line at the Super Bowl. Or at the finish line of the 100-m dash. All for, I dunno,…

It's hard to drink beer and eat snacks when you are wearing a headset and are blind to the world around you.

Re: New report on Apple’s VR headset: 8K in each eye, potential $3k price tag

#290
post #144

Sooo looking forward to being able to live fully in a virtual world. Virtual cash, virtual socially distanced "relationships" and friends, a virtual body so I don't have to work out, and Neuralink attached to my brain (or whatever's left of that) so other people can make decisions for me. What a relief it's all coming together

It's an interesting premise to look at where this tech will take us. Decades ago social media was seen as a technology to bring people together with no borders to share information in a possible new utopia. Even though elements of that have occured, we have seen that its also caused a myraid of mental health / well being issues by rigging into peoples reward systems where likes become dopamine hits with hours of each…

Same as television did?
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