‘Spatial computing’ replaces the metaverse in Apple’s Vision Pro headset announcement

By Clark

During the Worldwide Developers Conference, the tech giant finally unveiled information about its new expensive mixed-reality headset, although it omitted the term “metaverse.”

Following its June 5 unveiling at the WWDC, Apple’s recently unveiled mixed-reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, has both caught the attention of tech enthusiasts and prompted questions.

One obvious exclusion from the launch, however, was the use of the word “metaverse.”

The IT company seems to have made a conscious decision to refer to its invention as the first “spatial computer.” Early in 2024, it will be made available in the United States for a hefty $3,499 retail price, and soon after, it will spread to other nations.

The announcement marks a clear break from Microsoft’s and Meta’s headset introductions, which both noticeably overused the term in contrast.

In contrast to terms like “metaverse,” “AR,” and “VR,” Apple’s marketing focuses on the phrases “spatial” and “spatial computing.”

According to Mike Rockwell, vice president of Apple’s technology development group, “creating our first spatial computer required invention across nearly every facet of the system.”

“We designed a standalone spatial computer in a compact wearable form factor that is the most advanced personal electronics device ever,” he added. “Through a tight integration of hardware and software.”

Back in January 2022, Mark Gurman, an Apple tech reporter for Bloomberg, tweeted that the company has no plans to approach the market similarly to Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, particularly with regard to the idea of the metaverse.

“I’ve been pretty directly told that the idea of a completely virtual world where users can escape to — like the can in Meta Platforms/Facebook’s vision of the future — is off-limits from Apple,” Gurman said. He added that the company will focus on providing a mixed-reality headset intended for use in brief bursts for work, gaming, communication, etc.

When using modes like Immersive Environments, programmes might appear to be projected into the user’s immediate environment or to offer a totally virtual experience.

Vision Pro, according to the announcement, “features visionOS, the world’s first spatial operating system, which enables users to interact with digital content in a way that feels like it is physically present in their space.”

A second Securities and Exchange Commission complaint filed on the same day seems to have dashed hopes for a dramatic jump in metaverse-related token prices, which had some investors excited about Apple’s anticipated new headset.

The top-ranked metaverse token, Internet Computer (ICP), is down 9.5% over the last 24 hours, according to CoinGecko, while the second- and third-placed tokens, The Sandbox (SAND) and Decentraland (MANA), are also down 12.7% and 11.2%, respectively.

Further down the list, there are no noteworthy projects that have experienced positive price movement over that time period, and during the previous day, the market valuation for all metaverse tokens has dropped by 10% to $7.7 billion.