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- Has the Honeymoon period for the Vision Pro ended?
Has the Honeymoon period for the Vision Pro ended?
INSIDE: Mozilla Hubs shutting down, and new Vision Pro competitor unveiled
Mathew Abraham
February 21, 2024
Greetings, AR enthusiasts.
While some people were returning their Vision Pros, brands are going all in on Apple’s AR headset, and other brands are almost ready with their own competitors. This week also saw AR making inroads into the field of surgery
In today’s Phantom Thread, we will look at:
People are apparently returning their Vision Pros
Mozilla Hubs Is Shutting Down
Vision Pro Gets a Sporting Chance
EmdoorVR Takes on Apple with Vision Pro Look-Alike
Revolutionizing Spinal Surgery with Augmented Reality
Play your Steam games on your Meta Quest
4 new AR Tools
WEEKLY THREADS
VISION PRO
People are apparently returning their Vision Pros
The weave: Less than two weeks after people got their hands on the Vision Pros, social media has been seeing several posts on them returning their headsets.
The strands:
Some early adopters had decided to make use of the 14 day window to return their $3,500 spatial computing headset
It was often very uncomfortable to wear for a lot of people because it was loaded at the front, straining the back of the head where the straps went.
Most who returned it just didn’t think the Vision Pro was ready for the mass market, and felt that later iterations could impress them.
The fabric: After Zuckerberg’s thoughts on how the Vision Pro felt, more of the general public are coming out with the same set of gripes. Early adopters are of the opinion that the Vision Pro could get better later when they perfect the formula.
The weave: Mozilla has decided to end support for their WebXR based experience, Mozilla Hubs. They are looking to hand over the platform to its community.
The strands:
Mozilla Hubs was one of the biggest virtual 3D worlds on WebXR.
The demo servers, subscriptions and community resources will be shut down on May 31, 2024.
The open source project is going to be kept alive by the community, with all the avatars, scenes and other Mozilla published assets going open source.
The fabric: One of the biggest WebXR experiences going open source means that there is a big opportunity for the community or even another company to pick up and give it another go.
VISION PRO
Vision Pro Gets a Sporting Chance
The weave: Major sports leagues — NFL, MLB, and PGA — have unveiled apps for the new Apple Vision Pro headset.
The strands:
These leagues are pioneering the integration of AR with sports fandom.
The move represents a major test for AR tech in a mass consumer market.
Fans get a new, immersive way to experience sports, promising a richer engagement.
The fabric: The quick adoption by major sports leagues signals a strong belief in AR's potential to revolutionize fan engagement. However, as this technology is still in its infancy, these developments serve as a real-world litmus test for AR's readiness for mainstream markets. The leagues' commitment may drive innovation and improvements, potentially setting a precedent for future AR applications in various industries.
EMDOOR VR
EmdoorVR Takes on Apple with Vision Pro Look-Alike
The weave: EmdoorVR, a Chinese startup, is stepping into the spotlight with an AR device that closely resembles Apple's Vision Pro, aiming to offer a competitive alternative at a more accessible price point.
The strands:
The company is targeting the burgeoning AR market with its cost-effective solution.
By mimicking the design and functionality of the Vision Pro, EmdoorVR is positioning itself as a formidable contender in the AR space.
The fabric: The quick adoption by major sports leagues signals a strong belief in AR's potential to revolutionize fan engagement. However, as this technology is still in its infancy, these developments serve as a real-world litmus test for AR's readiness for mainstream markets. The leagues' commitment may drive innovation and improvements, potentially setting a precedent for future AR applications in various industries.
MEDICAL SCIENCE
Revolutionizing Spinal Surgery with Augmented Reality
The weave: Surgeons are now using augmented reality (AR) technology to perform spinal surgeries with increased precision, safety, and efficiency.
The strands:
AR allows real-time visualization of the patient's anatomy and surgical tools, directly overlaid on the surgical field.
This tech is paving the way for less invasive procedures, potentially reducing recovery times and complications.
Early adopters report significant improvements in surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
The fabric: The integration of AR into spinal surgery is a major leap forward, promising a future where surgeries are safer, faster, and more precise. This could set new standards for surgical practices worldwide.
AR TUTORIAL
Play your Steam games on your Meta Quest
The weave: Steam has a large library of VR games in all genres, and the Meta Quest is the perfect way to experience them.
Here’s our step-by-step guide:
WEEKLY AR TOOL ROUNDUP
Featured AR tools:
Hyperpeach - A Metaverse search engine that can crawl and rank metaverse experiences that will help you find the next great VR experience
SketchAR - AR sketching app that will show a virtual image on whatever it is you are drawing on to aid your creative processes.
NanoCardAR - An AR business card tool that lets you create and share your business cards in augmented reality
FLASH FRAMES
Felix and Paul Studios, the Emmy award winning extended reality studio, has started working on their new location based VR experience after securing their initial funding goals
Meta has finally allowed players to appeal their bans on ‘Horizon Worlds’
Massachusetts is set to become the first state to take action against people wearing Vision Pros while driving. Offenders are possibly looking at a lifetime ban from driving.
XRHealth and TikTok parent company ByteDance have decided to collaborate to create a VR space for therapy session letting patients take their sessions while at home