She added that Apple’s “closed” ecosystem of services, which restricts users to specific platforms and devices in order to access their services, is problematic.
Apple has traditionally used a closed eco-system for its iOS products and distribution platforms. This could limit developers who are working in a new chain of value. It’s hard for developers to maximize their reach if they are locked into a single ecosystem.
Apple claims that the Vision Pro allows users to view apps in a different way, in the space around them. Users can navigate apps with their hands and eyes, and use voice search.
The headset can be used for work through videoconferencing apps such as Microsoft Office tools and Adobe Lightroom. Videoconferencing apps like Microsoft Office Tools and Adobe lightroom can be used to work with the headset.
CNBC: More From CNBC
Vision Pro runs on visionOS. This is a new platform for spatial computing designed for the new headset from the company. It allows developers to create apps just like they do for iOS for iPhone. The headset will start at $3,499 in early 2019.
The crowd’s reaction to Apple’s AR headset, however, was much more subdued than the response it gave to the other announcements made by the company earlier that day, such as the new features of its iPad and Apple TV Siri Remote.
Wang, speaking to CNBC, said that the next paradigm shift would occur when these devices were fully integrated with 5G and streaming content via a Cloud Edge Network.
“HTC VIVE already invented this technology and we will lead the paradigm shift in a near future.”
HTC has shifted its focus from smartphones to VR as it struggles to gain traction on the highly competitive handsets markets.
In 2018, Taiwanese company sold the majority of its smartphone business for $1.1 billion to Google.
VR has struggled for years to be taken serious by consumers, who see it primarily as a tool to play casual games and not a device that is part of their daily lives.
Meta, the former Facebook, is betting its future on people engaging in virtual worlds via VR products such as its Meta Quest headsets and Horizon Worlds VR Social Game, within a vast network of virtual worlds called the “metaverse.”
Meta’s product hasn’t found a broad market yet. It is losing billions in investment each year.
The sales of VR headsets are down, especially as the cost of living has risen sharply.
According to CNBC, the NPD Group reported in December last year that VR headset sales in the U.S. fell 2% from a previous year in 2022. This equates to $1.1 billion.
Apple has a history of waiting until a product is widely adopted before launching it into a new product category.
Industry executives, however, said that the launch was a major milestone for the emerging mixed reality market.
In an email, Urho Konttori (chief technology officer at Varjo) said that mixed reality will likely have more use cases on the business side.
Konttori stated that “Apple’s entry into XR and Vision Pro is a significant moment for our entire industry.”
“Mixed Reality is already a fixture within the enterprise sector and the innovative Varjo technologies have transformed the way that the world’s largest companies work, design, conduct their research and collaborate.”
He added, “We hope that today marks the beginning of a new era for consumers, when they begin to use it in their daily lives, as well, for entertainment, productivity and communication.”
Leo Gebbie, CCS Insight analyst, said: “Even though the Vision Pro won’t be launched until early 2024 we expect it to transform the spatial computing sector, thanks in part to Apple’s innovative visionOS and some of its design decisions.”
Apple is the company that has the star-power to revitalize the virtual and augmented reality segment.
Ashley Capoot, Rohan Goswami and Kif Leswing contributed to CNBC.
