Might Apple’s Vision Pro be the most visionary device since the iPad?
In 2010, I wrote this article predicting that the iPad would revolutionize our relationship with computers and the Internet. Now, thirteen years later, it is evident that my prediction was correct. The iPad transformed our relationship with computers, enabling us to shift from lean-forward working relationships to lean-back content consumption experiences. Fast forward to today, and Apple has once again introduced a visionary computing device with the Vision Pro. Here are three reasons why the Vision Pro may be the most visionary consumer electronic device since the iPad.
- Spatial Computing: A Computing Paradigm Redefined
While the Vision Pro has been categorized as an augmented reality and virtual reality headset, Apple have described it as a spatial computing device. Their keynote introduced the Vision Pro as a gateway device to a new dimension in computing. Unlike virtual or augmented reality, which remain ill-defined and somewhat vague concepts, spatial computing establishes a more foundational definition of the new three dimensional computing framework. It introduces a comprehensive volumetric paradigm, to our computing experience revolutionizing media consumption, work play and social interactions. By embracing, and dare I say defining the concept of spatial computing, Apple is providing us with a fundamentally new perspective on our relationship with information processing and media consumption. This transition from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional paradigm is significant, as it aligns our computing experience more closely with how humans perceive and interact with the world and brings the digital world into our three dimensional physical world in a more intimate and immersive way. While we previously surfed the surface of the world wide web, spatial computing brings the web deeply into the wide world around us opening up endless possibilities for immersive, multidimensional experiences.
2. Digital Reality: Beyond Augmented Reality
The Vision Pro introduces a concept that goes beyond traditional augmented reality and virtual reality. Rather than perceiving reality directly through our eyes with digital overlays, Apple has introduced a digital intermediary layer that filters reality before it reaches our eyes. This digitization of reality makes the Vision Pro more akin to bionic or cybernetic eyewear. The signals reaching our eyes are electronically generated, representing a transformative leap in the way we perceive and interact with the world. Though subtle, this has far reaching implications. Furthermore, the Vision Pro enables users to create a digital persona, a digital twin that mimics our gestures and behavior using a neural network to represent us when engaging with others remotely. This digital intermediary layer also extends to in-person interactions, where Apple’s pioneering eyesight technology creates a rendering of our eyes for others to see, effectively presenting a digitized version of ourselves, while interacting with others, in person. This digitization of reality, creating digitally enabled interactions, both remotely and in-person, blurs the line between the physical and digital realms. Though eerie and reminiscent of a Black Mirror episode, this is an undeniably groundbreaking and novel take on mixed reality.
3. Edge Intelligence: Privacy and Decentralization
With the Vision Pro’s ‘digital reality’ capabilities, concerns around privacy become paramount. However, Apple distinguishes itself from its competitors by ensuring that the intelligence executed through machine learning and deep learning occurs locally on the device. This approach safeguards sensitive data, such as eye-tracking information, from potential misuse and preserves user privacy. By pushing intelligence to the edge, Apple establishes a more secure and decentralized computing paradigm, aligning with the principles of decentralization and edge computing. This strategic move not only positions Apple as a leader in edge computing but also positions Apple as a leader in the ongoing debate surrounding artificial intelligence, ethics, privacy, and data security. By combining spatial computing, digital reality, and edge intelligence, Apple sets itself apart from the competition, elevating the Vision Pro as a game-changing computing device from a social, cultural and technological perspective.
Conclusion:
Apple’s Vision Pro represents a significant leap forward in computing, akin to the transformative impact of the iPad and possibly even the iPhone. With spatial computing, digital reality, and edge intelligence, Apple introduces a new framework and perspective on computing, revolutionizing our relationship with computers, information, media and the digital world. The Vision Pro’s price does raise concerns, but could also serve as a strategic move to set a high bar for the industry in terms of value delivery when viewed holistically. It challenges competitors to rise to a new level of innovation. As we reflect on the transformative impact of the iPad to digital culture, we might see that the Vision Pro is poised to bring an even more profound and visionary transformation to the digital landscape. Time of course will tell but Apple may just have released their next revolutionary product.
