What if Apple… never launches an XR device?
Let’s face it: chances are Apple will never create a VR or AR headset
As a tech journalist and writer I often interview researchers, developers and tech experts. When I speak to someone who is active in the field of AR, VR or XR, I always have to wait for the same sentence: ‘everything will change when Apple launches its device.’
According to them, we are now on the eve of a launch similar to that of the iPhone and iPad. A device so good, beautiful and powerful that one will speak forever about a period ‘before’ and ‘after’ its launch.
A few days ago, Apple announced it had bought NextVR, a VR streaming company with around hundred employees. This is the sign, said those experts, that it really shouldn’t be long anymore.
Many players are already active in the market, from Microsoft and Magic Leap to Facebook and Sony. There are quite a few devices, but VR is not nearly as established as one would have thought a decade ago. What’s even more: some thought leaders claim we are on the eve of a VR winter.
And that’s where the shoe pinches: when Apple came up with the iPhone and the iPad, that market was already much more established. Manufacturers had not only acquired the necessary technical know-how, they had also proven that…
