Mark Zuckerberg has given his opinion on the Apple Vision Pro. And for the leader of Meta, this mixed reality headset is a call for isolation. A project that he says is opposed to his metaverse and his mixed reality helmets, which he describes as much more open.
Since its formalization on June 5, 2023, the Apple Vision Pro has been in the discussions of all tech enthusiasts and has sparked a lot of debate. For Numerama, it may be the computer of the future, even if it represents, to the public, a dystopian imagination that is not very reassuring for the future. Even Mark Zuckerberg seems to have his opinion on the matter. According to an article by The Verge published on June 8, 2023, the Vision Pro does not really arouse much excitement among the CEO of the Meta group.
During a meeting with company employees, Zuckerberg spoke about Apple’s headset ambitions. For him, the Vision Pro shares a rather solitary, even individualistic vision of the future. To support his opinion, he put forward the fact that ” all the demos they showed have a person sitting alone on their sofa “. A vision that Zuckerberg says he does not share: “ It could be the future of the computer, but it’s not what I want “.
Zuckerberg says his metaverse insulates less than the Vision Pro
In his remarks, Mark Zuckerberg insisted on an alleged difference in philosophy between Apple and Meta. He explained to his employees that this ” announcement really highlights the difference in values and vision that our companies bring to this field, in a way that I think is very important “. He claims that the Apple Vision Pro would isolate its user from the rest of the world. Which would be the opposite of the Meta Quest Pro, which he says wants people to interact in a ” in a new way ” so that they “ feel closer “, while remaining ” active and doing things “.
Paradoxically, the group does not really do better. The metaverse and its closed experience, which takes the user into a totally virtual world to escape reality, does not really bring people together. It isolates, makes forget the relatives. Can the metaverse be anything other than an Internet, only worse? Especially since it accentuates the toxic practices that we already see in the real world, such as sexual harassment.
This does not prevent Zuckerberg from asserting loud and clear that his helmet remains more open, especially on prices. The Apple Vision Pro, which will cost just over 3,250 euros, is significantly more expensive than the Quest 3, which is expected to cost between 450 and 500 euros in Europe. Even the Meta Quest Pro costs a lot less, with an introductory price of $1,000. Zuckerberg sees this as proof that Apple is addressing a much more closed audience than Meta, which seeks to offer ” products that are as accessible and affordable as possible for everyonee “.
The billionaire also believes that the Apple Vision Pro also does not feature technologies that Meta does not ” not explored », and that in the end, this helmet is not really very innovative compared to those of Meta.
Despite the philosophical dimension that Zuckerberg tries to bring to his speech, his vision is nonetheless rooted in Meta’s profitability objectives. The group has invested several billion euros in its helmets and the metaverse. But he also lost a lot. Thus, when Zuckerberg says that his products can be bought by everyone, it is also because selling helmets at 500 euros to a greater number of people can be a better conquest of the market than selling a helmet at more than 3,000 euros to a smaller community of buyers.
The Meta Quest 3, presented as the low cost alternative
This analysis from the owner of Instagram is part of his desire to present the Meta Quest 3 as a low-cost alternative to Apple’s exorbitant headphones. Meta would like to become the solution for people interested in Apple’s product but who don’t have the budget. And for that, the Quest 3 does not hesitate to take over certain functions from the Meta Quest Pro, the group’s high-end headphones. Also, like Apple’s headset, the Quest 3 is expected to rely most of its experience on mixed reality.
Obviously, to stay cheaper, the Quest 3 will have to make several technical concessions. The quality of the screens or the number of cameras will not be at the level of the Vision Pro, which given its price, should do much better. But Meta will have the advantage of offering a more affordable experience and its expertise in social networks, essential to offer a headset that “brings together”, as Zuckerberg wishes.
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