Quantfury Gazette
One more thing…
Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple Inc (NASDAQ: APPL), had ‘one more thing’ to announce at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2023. It was not a surprise for this legendary quote to begin the reveal, however the new product he announced was a surprise to many and despised by some. Cook introduces the era of spatial computing with the Apple Vision Pro, a so-called mixed-reality computer headset that blends the real world and the digital world.
Now the questions arise, will the Apple Vision Pro be any more than just a ‘thing’? Something you show off to your guest at a party once, and leave under the TV stand for the rest of the year? Or will it revolutionize the entertainment industry and take the leap to transform the work at home experience? Tim Cook is taking an ambitious next step to prove that he is the person to lead Apple in the right direction and continue the legacy left behind by Steve Jobs.
It’s important to note that the Apple Vision Pro is not Cook’s first major device release since the passing of Steve Jobs in 2011. The Apple Watch released in 2015 was developed under Cook’s direction and according to Jony Ive, former chief design officer of Apple, Steve Jobs was not involved in the project.
Upon its initial release, the Apple Watch was met with plenty of resistance, though Cook managed to navigate the device in an already saturated smartwatch industry and come out on top. After 8 iterations and over a decade of development, the Apple Watch became the best-selling smartwatch of all-time, even surpassing the entire Swiss watch industry by 9.6 million units sold in 2019.
Is it safe to say that the Apple Vision Pro will succeed under Tim Cook’s direction? Not quite. The Apple Watch gained more success as a fashion accessory more than anything else. A ski goggle-like headset with a long wire attached to a battery pack is not something deemed ‘fashionable’ to most. Let’s also not overlook that the AR/VR industry is an entirely different sector in tech and faces controversial debates around our human existence.
It is evident that Tim Cook acknowledged the criticisms, successes, and failures of previous VR headsets like the Oculus Quest released by Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META) in order to create the best possible headset on the market. Besides, Steve Job’s philosophy behind Apple was to always be the best, not the first. So it’s not a shock to see that the release of the Apple Vision Pro comes 5 years after the release of the first Oculus Quest. It’s also not a shock to see all the innovative features that are implemented to the Vision Pro, like the cutting-edge eye tracking and motion sensor technology that allows users to navigate the interface controller-free.
With Apple Inc (NASDAQ: APPL) stocks reaching an all-time high and inflation reaching the highest rates since 1982, how will Apple fans react to a $3500 headset? The anticipation is building up and with the market release of the Apple Vision Pro set to early 2024, we have yet to find out.
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