Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

bloomberg.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

111–120 of 191 posts

Re: Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

#111

Post by kmarc »

iamleppert wrote: post #35

HoloLens is (soon to be was) a great AR device. Certainly useable and competent but it suffered from the same issue over and over: once the gee wiz demo was over, outside of a few very niche uses, people went back to using their laptops and smartphones. Because it’s easier to just pull out your smartphone, get whatever you need done, then put it back in your pocket. This rapid and random access is why people love sma…

> Because it’s easier to just pull out your smartphone, get whatever you need done, then put it back in your pocket.

FWIW I see an alarmingly lot of people glued to their phone while walking, in a restaurant, on the train, while driving, etc.

Once it's normalized that they don't actually have to "pull out, put it back", just use (wear) it all the time as it is with phones, there will be a market.

Re: Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

#113

Post by randomifcpfan »

p1esk wrote: post #81
randomifcpfan wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I understand it, Apple is expected to only introduce a VR headset this year, like the new Sony VR headset or the high end Oculus. Apple’s AR headset is still many years away.

The article is about “mixed reality” headset, whatever that is.

Mixed reality is a VR headset with cameras that pass through an approximation of outside reality. The hope is that gets you most of the vision benefits of AR. But you still get most of the physical drawbacks of VR.

All the current high-end VR headsets have pass through cameras, of varying quality. It’s not clear yet whether Apple is bringing anything significantly new to the table. Will somewhat higher quality components make a significant difference?

Re: Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

#114

Post by kurthr »

sp332 wrote: post #94
p1esk wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article is about “mixed reality” headset, whatever that is.

Mixed reality can refer to both AR and VR, so it's actually less specific. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/disc...

Apples definition of MR (Merged Reality) is "AR" (Augmented Reality) through cameras in a VR (Virtual Reality) interface. That means that it fully covers the eyes and can minimize the issues with outdoor lighting levels and precise alignment of projection over reality (If you move your head quickly AR will always be behind reality while camera images can be overlaid with minimal constant delay).

Re: Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

#115

Post by rgbrgb »

ulfw wrote: post #74
hnbear wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Watches, phones, and music players also all existed for a long time, and weren't a huge leap. Sure, smart watches were called revolutionary, but the first Apple Watch told the time and was fun but mostly unusable for much else. The notifications popped up, but actual interaction was so slow. But that's fine. It was great to have a watch (a >100 year old device), that shows texts. Same for phones - it was just iterati…

But there was a significant and fast growing market for watches, smartphones and MP3 players. Where is that for VR headsets? It's neither a huge installed market (watches) nor is it fast growing (smartphones late 2000s).

Agreement phrased as rebuttal?

Re: Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

#116

Post by toast0 »

ulfw wrote: post #74
hnbear wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Watches, phones, and music players also all existed for a long time, and weren't a huge leap. Sure, smart watches were called revolutionary, but the first Apple Watch told the time and was fun but mostly unusable for much else. The notifications popped up, but actual interaction was so slow. But that's fine. It was great to have a watch (a >100 year old device), that shows texts. Same for phones - it was just iterati…

But there was a significant and fast growing market for watches, smartphones and MP3 players. Where is that for VR headsets? It's neither a huge installed market (watches) nor is it fast growing (smartphones late 2000s).

I'm no fan of Apple, but my impression is that Apple's involvement significantly grew the market of smartwatches, smartphones, and mp3 players.

There's a reason people think Apple invented them.

I'm a grump, and don't see how you could make VR headsets into a mass market product at this time, but Apple has been good at doing that in the past; MP3 players were probably going to boom otherwise, smartwatches were a bit of a fizzle (imho), but Apple inspired everyone to become smartphone zombies in a way that BlackBerry and Nokia couldn't.

Which is not to say everything they touch is gold. AirPorts are dead. Xserve is dead. Not sure if I should mention 90s failures like Newton and Pippin. Apple TV doesn't seem to have the broad reach into non-Apple users that iPod had, etc.

Re: Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

#117

Post by p1esk »

etempleton wrote: post #90
p1esk wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not having to sit sounds pretty amazing. Assuming it can match my monitor quality. I think of a headset as headphones for your eyes.

What do you look like to other people on the Zoom call? What are they seeing? If it is your avatar that is going to be a no go for most executives. They want to see your real face.

I look like the screen I’m sharing. If I’m not sharing, my voice is enough. The only exception could a job interview.

However, I don’t see why it would be a problem to render my face using AI given there’s already head and eye tracking going on.

Re: Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

#118

Post by kibwen »

p1esk wrote: post #84
etempleton wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What part of having something strapped to your face all day while on Zoom calls sounds amazing? As someone who spends all day on zoom calls this is the last thing I want.

Not having to sit sounds pretty amazing. Assuming it can match my monitor quality. I think of a headset as headphones for your eyes.

I'm unclear what's being suggested here.

The "headphones for your eyes" analogy is incorrect, because if you're on a call, then you can listen via headphones while, for example, making food, or taking care of children, or doing chores. But you can't do any of those things if you can't see your surroundings. Taking over your vision is far more disruptive than taking over your hearing. You might as well be sitting.

Re: Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

#119

Post by heisenzombie »

j2bax wrote: post #63
etempleton wrote: post #41

If it is as described I think it is insane for Apple to launch this product. Comparing it to the state of the Apple Watch is pretty strange because if nothing else the Apple Watch was functional, self contained, worked, and was under $1,000. Even if it didn’t work you could put it on and ignore it. A VR/AR headset is nothing like that and at $3,000 is a significant investment for most everyone. But who knows. I haven…

I could see major potential in the fitness space, paired with Apple Watch + Fitness+... I could see potential use cases in education (think surgery simulator etc...). I could see some developers using it as an alternative to their monitors. I think there are plenty of places outside of gaming where a device like this, done right (comfortable) could carve out a segment. Plenty of people pay thousands of dollars for an…

I’ve heard people bring up fitness, but the physical experience of sweating with a headset strapped to my face sounds unpleasant. It also turns the product into “gym equipment”. Is it waterproof? Can I give it a good wash in the sink and dry it? Or am I putting it on later with it soaked in cold sweat? How’s it going to smell after a couple of weeks?

Re: Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory

#120

Post by glass3 »

In which way will they make it different from the Meta headsets? The Apple branding won't be enough to turn an average headset into a successful product.

My guess would be that their headset is just a set of goggles that requires an iPhone for computation. Then, they can sell them for $300 or even $150.

The article suggests that VR is a tool for long-distance relationships. For $300, that could become possible.

Post reply on HN