A New Metaverse Platform War Could Be on The Horizon, Expert Says

Apple’s upcoming mixed reality (MR) headset Vision Pro might not have anything to do with the metaverse, but an expert believes it will start a metaverse platform war. During its demo at the WorldWide Developer Conference 2023 (WWDC23), the company made sure it didn’t send its audience a wrong message by not using the term ‘metaverse’ during the entirety of the event.

It is Meta v. Apple Now

Steve Kovach, a tech industry expert, while appearing in an interview with media company CNBC, said that “Apple is expected to launch its Vision Pro headset in the new year, a start of a new platform war like when you had the PC vs Mac. Now it’s Meta vs Apple.”

Moving further, he added that, “Meta had a head start though, selling headsets for years, and that includes the new Quest 3, which launched this fall and appears to have been a hot gift this holiday.” Moreover, the interview discussed a forecast recently made by analyst Ming-Chi Quo, who estimated that nearly 500K units of Vision Pro will be shipped throughout 2024.

Price will play a crucial role in this competition. As of now, Meta Quest 3 costs $500 while Apple Vision Pro will initially come out with a price tag of $3,500. Steven further said, “Look, I’ve used both headsets. Meta has improved a lot, especially this generation, and especially with visual quality. But the Vision Pro from Apple, it’s the next level. It has super clear visuals, great hand tracking for manipulating objects.”

Meta claims Quest 3 is currently the most powerful device in their fleet of gadgets. Mark Zuckerberg showcased its graphic processing potential while appearing in an interview with American computer scientist and podcaster, Lex Fridman. Both the host and the guest interacted using Meta Quest 3 headsets while sitting miles apart from each other.

Comparing the app system in both headsets, Kovach said, “The Vision Pro also has a better app ecosystem. It’s going to be able to run any iPad app right out of the box.” For their rivals, he added that, “Meta has a smaller app library but partnerships with big names like Microsoft and several gaming companies.”

Furthermore, he said that, “Mixed reality headsets haven’t taken off yet, but Apple could change that, and it is going to be the battle of Apple vs Meta.” Meta Platforms retitled the company from Facebook in 2021 to showcase they have effectively turned their heads toward the metaverse. However, the metaverse has become more of a buzzword for many than something actual.

Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), MR, and more are the enabling technologies of the metaverse. According to data aggregator Statista, 8.83 Million units of AR and VR devices were shipped globally. This year is expected to deliver over 10 Million units combinedly with VR likely to dominate the numbers.

Amanda Shinoy is one of the few women in the space invested knee-deep in crypto. An advocate for increasing the presence of women in crypto, she is known for her accurate technical analysis and price prediction of cryptocurrencies. Readers are often waiting for her opinion about the next rally. She is a finance expert with an MBA in finance. Quitting a corporate job at a leading financial institution, she now engages herself full-time into financial education for the general public.