News Analysis
Today is launch day for Apple's please-don't-call-it-a-virtual-reality-headset Vision Pro. The company unveiled the $3500 "spatial computer" last June. The speculation at the time was that, despite the price tag, Vision Pro could open the door to all kinds of possibilities in the digital workplace.
The tool blends digital content with the physical world, while allowing users to stay present and connected to others.
Workplace vendors are already jumping into the fray. Before the official release of Vision Pro, Zoom announced a custom app for the headset to help colleagues and customers connect and collaborate in a more real world, immersive environment.
“Zoom on Apple Vision Pro helps teammates stay connected no matter when and where they work, or how they communicate and collaborate,” Smita Hashim, chief product officer at Zoom said in a statement.
While this is likely just the first of many workplace apps, Vision Pro's use in the digital workplace will inevitably be limited from the start.
Vision Pro in the Workplace? What a Difference 7 Months Makes
Things have changed in the months since Vision Pro was first unveiled. Budgets are tighter and generative AI has exploded as workplaces large and small scramble to reach the promised gains in productivity and efficiency from the tool. Virtual experiences don't fit into this picture.
Even without those factors, the price tag is a major question mark over adoption of Pro as a workplace tool.
The level of investment required to equip teams and individual workers in an enterprise makes it a long shot. More to the point, said Daniel Rasmus, principal analyst and founder of Serious Insights, spatial computing will not play a huge role in the workplace.
“I don't think spatial computing will play a huge role in the workplace. There are some areas, like design, where it may play a large role,” he said. “Day-to-day work, however, will be unaffected for most because existing tools will remain good enough. Spatial computing will add little or no value to work that is not inherently visual.”
Maintenance roles may also see wide use, he acknowledged, though building out virtual models of deployed machinery and facilities is a much harder and less rewarding task than creating conceptual models.
The speculation around the convergence of spatial computing and AI may also drive some activity, he continued. “The current generation of AI is not what most of us envisioned as the AI the lives inside of VR, though avatars spouting generative AI responses will be a big thing for a while. There will also be movement, I suspect, to use Gen AI to generate spatial environments, but the question will then be, ‘To what end?’”
Inevitably, some developers will create virtual workspaces in service to making community and collaboration feel more intimate and less remote, much as they'd tried on the web. However Rasmus doesn't see organizations rushing to populate virtual buildings filled with virtual desks and virtual people.
Related Article: Meta Doubles Down on Mixed Reality and AI at Connect
About That $3500 Price Tag ...
The price is really going to put most organizations off, said Brian Jackson. “It is not feasible for organizations to pay $3,500 a pop to outfit their workers with the Vision Pro headset. They will not even spend $500 to acquire a Meta Quest for most workers, as even that is an expensive piece of kit,” said the research director at Info-Tech Research Group.
Certain business will of course make the investment, he acknowledged.
Manufacturers of high-end medical or engineering equipment that produce limited units of an expensive product sold to a niche buying segment are one such case. The sales process here hinges on having well-trained sales people who travel to clients to demonstrate the equipment, but the size and sensitivity of the equipment as well as the requirement of having a finished prototype poses challenges.
A salesperson with a Vision Pro and a digital twin of the product offers a more affordable way to display and sell the product. It also allows the prototype to still be in development and potentially change based on buyer requests.
“Here, the Vision Pro turns into a solution for demonstrating high-end niche products and a great experience for prospective buyers," Jackson said.
Being able to talk about a 3D object in a collaborative environment and render it in space will be incredibly valuable, he continued. The Vision Pro can connect remote colleagues and render their design prototypes before they are physically produced. "We are already seeing how Formula 1 teams are working with Vision Pro to improve their race cars."
High-end engineering teams planning operations for execution in a critical environment offers another scenario, or the case of a person with special expertise who needs to review equipment or facilities in multiple locations.
“The data from our Future of IT survey shows that 2024 will not be a breakthrough year for mixed reality devices. But there is interest in making an investment in 2025 or later," said Jackson.
Related Article: Virtual Reality Goes Mainstream for Learning
Conference
Sep
16
HR Tech Conference Las Vegas 2025
Register
Conference
Oct
27
Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo Orlando 2025
Register
A Vision Pro Cost-Benefit Analysis
Natalie Andreas agrees the price tag will push organizations to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before committing to such an expense. Industries like design, engineering, healthcare or education could potentially find applications that align with the Vision Pro features, continued the University of Texas at Austin professor.
Additionally, evaluating whether the headset's mixed reality capabilities significantly enhance productivity and efficiency is crucial. If it proves instrumental in effective collaboration, design, or training, organizations may deem the investment justifiable.
Ease of use and seamless integration into existing workflows, could also increase the likelihood of adoption. “In the exploration of viable options, organizations may consider alternative, more cost-effective solutions with comparable functionalities, depending on their specific requirements,” Andreas said.
Related Article: How Microsoft Mesh May Transform Remote Work
Augmented Reality and AI's Shared Future
Adoption of mixed and augmented reality solutions built to solve real-world problems continues at a rapid pace, said Nathan Patton. His company, Trimble, which develops construction technology, has seen steady growth and continued interest since expanding its AR solutions to incorporate 2D and 3D designs.
“Tools like AR and XR are at their best when they are blended into existing workflows and processes, and used to improve or enhance the user's tasks — this is where I'm convinced the technology will continue to drive significant value,” he said.
Although AI currently captures the attention and has a significantly larger potential addressable market, Patton sees AR/MR solutions as a complement to AI, with the ones that create highly intuitive and user-friendly ways of interacting with AI winning the race.
“That's where I see the future of AR/MR going, is better enabling human interaction with the digital world in all forms, including AI-based processes and experiences,” he said. "In the future, where a wide variety of the work we do is aided by AI, there is going to be a need for a change in thinking in computer interaction and that is where AR/MR solutions can help to bridge this gap."
A Milestone for Spatial Computing
The long-awaited Apple Vision Pro release date marks another big milestone for the spatial computing and immersive technology industries, said Hololight co-founder and COO Susanne Haspinger — it is a real sign of maturity to have a player like Apple join.
Apple's entry to the spatial computing market will help investors gain more confidence. Today's release is a moment for the industry to celebrate the full commercialization of these products to meet the demands of B2B users and consumers, she said.
She added that while both the Meta Quest 3 headset and Magic Leap 2 impress with cutting-edge features, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon Spaces XR platform has set new standards the launch of Apple Vision Pro will provide another boost to showcasing their benefits for B2B enterprise and industrial immersive technologies and use cases.
“Apple is not just good at making products — it is good at creating awareness about what you can do with the technology and making people aware of the potential. It is up to us to build on this and continue the evolution of technology in the B2B space,” she said.