Analyst: Apple’s Upcoming Headset Will not be Metaverse-Friendly

It seems like every tech company these days is jumping on the Metaverse bandwagon, but according to noted Apple soothsayer Mark Gurman, Apple will not be one of them. In the latest issue of his Power On newsletter, Gurman dishes on Apple’s plans for its long-rumored Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR) headset, which apparently includes a design that will disincentivize users from wearing it for extended periods of time. Whether that includes a construction that simply makes it uncomfortable to wear after several hours, like Crocs, or some sort of software-based timer that tells you to take a break is unclear, but it is notable that Apple seemingly wants no part of Mark Zuckerberg’s futuristic digital fantasy world.

In his newsletter, Gurman states that when Apple does finally get around to launching its AR/VR headset, possibly in 2022, there is one word Apple executives will refuse to utter onstage: Metaverse. “I’ve been told pretty directly that the idea of a completely virtual world where users can escape to — like they can in Meta Platforms/Facebook’s vision of the future — is off limits from Apple,” said Gurman, according to Gizmodo. He goes on to state that instead, Apple executives are more interested in creating a device that will allow for short bursts of “gaming, communication, or content consumption.” This stands in stark contrast with what would be needed to fully immerse yourself in the Metaverse as presented by Mark Zuckerberg, which showcases people as avatars interacting with their co-workers’ avatars inside a comically portrayed 3D world that is supposed to take the place of your typical business office. Not to mention all the non-work types of social engagements it could offer such as watching movies and concerts with friends in a virtual world.

On the one hand, this could just be another high profile snub from Apple, which is relatively famous for not liking the beleaguered social media company. In 2021 Apple introduced a new privacy feature for iPhone users that allowed them to become aware of ads that were tracking them, and opt-out of it. This upset Facebook so much it began running splash-screens on both Facebook and Instagram begging them to not opt-out of ad tracking, noting that if they can’t make money from ads their services might not always be free. Naturally, users ignored this plea, and Facebook and other tech titans ended up losing a reported $10 billion in ad revenue once Apple flipped the switch. Readers should be aware that Apple recently backtracked from these changes and is once again allowing third-parties to gather “anonymized” device information.

On the other hand, Gurman reports that Apple isn’t totally against having something on your head all-day for “mixed reality” experiences, as it is working on its very own set of Augmented Reality (AR) glasses, that could theoretically be worn just as often as a pair of reading glasses. Gurman reports that Apple’s priority is the AR version of its headset, simply because it’s less invasive and lets users stay in their own reality versus getting beamed into Mark’s dystopian creation. Apple also has a vested interest in not letting its users leave its platform for one of its competitors, obviously, but since both Apple’s glasses and Meta’s fantasy world are still so far in the future, it is unclear how this turf war will ultimately resolve itself.

Apple is rumored to be entering the world of Virtual Reality (VR) this year, first with an outlandishly priced headset that will be powered by a future version of its M1 silicon. The company is anticipated to follow that up with a more mainstream product consisting of AR glasses, which allows for 3D objects to be placed into a user’s reality, such as a having a dinosaur on your couch or seeing Apple Maps directions in front of you while driving. All of these are just rumors at this point, however, but all signs point to 2022 being a big year for Apple hardware releases, so it wouldn’t surprise anyone if it tips its virtual hand, finally. Plus, it’s been working on some type of head-mounted display for years, according to reports, so something coming this year doesn’t seem too far-fetched.