Jack Blog
June 20th, 2023
(And probably your second, third… and 27th.)
My first iPhone was not mine. It was a company phone. I worked for a small creative agency and while the phone wasn’t a good choice for me, it was a great decision for the company. Pricey, but super cool, increased productivity on the go, better communications and did I mention super cool?
I was at the front end of the hype cycle. Not an innovator, but up near the front as an early adopter. Crucially though, because of price and some resistance to change, it wasn’t my decision.
The launch of the Apple Vision Pro is interesting in that it positioned with a quasi-consumer productivity angle. There are scenes of fashioned people in their pod-like living rooms of the future calmly manipulating everyday email, team meetings, and movies. But the first time you’ll likely experience the Apple Vision Pro will be thanks to someone else’s investment.
Brands will love the ability to create high-end immersive experiences. Imagine MR headsets extending the intensity of Bonnaroo or Burning Man. What about amazing MR concerts by Drake and Pink Floyd Avatars at Coachella? Sponsor-infused halftime shows will be in fan zones and corporate boxes during major league games. Imagine Marvel’s universe crashing into comic cons around the world. New character plots unfurling at Star Wars celebration. Imagine exploring medical tech devices at trade shows or immersed into the sets and plots of new shows at the upfronts. Imagine sitting in a new concept car driving it down your street or across Monaco without leaving the show floor.
The Apple Vision Pro has made its play for productivity and coolness. Meta’s Quest 3 will bring MR to more people through a lower price point and a focus on gaming and the metaverse. But ultimately, both will find an early welcome with progressive experience brands and immersive experiences, properties, and passion points. And somewhere at Microsoft engineers are dusting off the HoloLens plans and plotting again for the enterprise market.