WWDC 2024 could be the next market-shifting XR moment, here’s why
Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2024 will be held June 10th-13th. In addition to leading technology announcements surrounding its smartphone and desktop solutions, viewers can look forward to new details regarding the Apple Vision Pro.
The Vision Pro first debuted at WWDC 2023; since last year’s event, the device has launched in US markets, giving XR a much-needed positive mainstream moment.
Notably, Apple’s hardware debut has brought more attention to immersive productivity tools that assist with situations like training and collaboration.
Unlike some competitors, Apple focuses the Vision Pro directly on productivity and workplace usage.
Broader audiences in enterprise and beyond may still perceive AR, VR, and MR tools as consumer or gaming products.
However, XR is becoming more prominent as a serious workplace tool, with use cases like training, simulation, and 3D collaboration taking center stage thanks to leading solution providers creating content for the increasing range of XR devices.
Frank Furnari, the CEO and Founder of ARuVR spoke to XR Today about the impact of Vision Pro. ARuVR works across a range of AR/VR/MR headsets to deliver immersive learning tools to enterprise clients, and the firm recently launched its training service on Vision Pro.
Furnari noted:
We need to consider the market before the Apple Vision Pro and after the Apple Vision Pro. Before the Apple Vision Pro, we had several commercial battles between hardware manufacturers. – However, when the Apple Vision Pro launched, these battles transformed into a proper commercial war. – I strongly believe that we are just at the beginning.
Vision Pro’s Entry into the Market
Despite some doubts about Apple not reaching its expected 2024 Vision Pro sales forecast, as reported by Ming-Chi Kuo, a trusted Apple Analyst. Apple remains optimistic about its ability to launch XR, or spatial computing, into the mainstream.
More specifically, Apple is cementing its place in the workplace. In a recent promotional video that debuted before WWDC 2024, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained how the Vision Pro and spatial computing are becoming paradigm-shifting work tools for early adopters.
Cook stated that Porsche, Sharp Healthcare, and others are using Apple Vision Pro headsets to create new spatial experiences, from training service technicians to designing showrooms of the future.
Apple’s vision, marketing, and partners are helping XR reach the mainstream as the company gradually promotes workplace XR adoption.
During Nvidia’s GTC 2024 keynote, for example, the CEO, Jensen Huang, highlighted the company’s support for Apple Vision Pro in various sectors, such as manufacturing, healthcare, and design, in partnership with its Omniverse ecosystem.
Furnari spoke on his experience with Apple’s device highlighting how the device’s quality and the user experience is “better than any other XR handset out there currently.”
But despite impressive hardware, for enterprise deployment other more sophisticated considerations are required.
Furnari added:
Sometimes, these elements are not enough to adopt XR devices in some enterprises. In the business-to-business market, global enterprises primarily use Windows devices, and the world’s largest personal computer vendor is Lenovo. Therefore, for enterprising sourcing, the Lenovo VRX device is far simpler in terms of procurement processes, securement assessment, after-sales support, etc. Because, they already have an existing hardware contract with Lenovo. -Vision Pro stands out in terms of quality user experience, but when we consider deployment of these devices into an enterprise environment, there are a number of other considerations that need to be taken into account.
Sectors Dimension Market Research recently discovered that the global augmented and virtual reality market in healthcare is projected to reach $19.6 billion by 2033, accompanied by a 20.2% CAGR. With Apple being the first of a new wave of major players investing in the market, such as Samsung and LG, there may be a significant opportunity to scale immersive training tools.
The Future for Apple and Enterprise?
With WWDC 2024 coming up next week, much speculation is coming.
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg highlighted how Apple could be poised to debut the Vision Pro in new markets after the event. Gurman noted how regions such as Germany, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and China could revive a release window.
At WWDC 2024, Apple is poised to update its spatial computing portfolio to reach more enterprise customers; Furnari explained:
At the WWDC next week, I would expect that Apple will announce the availability of the Apple Vision Pro in other countries, at least across the two other continents. I would also expect that they will introduce the new version of their operating system: visionOS 2.0.
On the developer side, the Vision Pro OS gained minor updates leading into WWDC 2024, the foundation for an expected visionOS update.
However, the Vision Pro is still in the early stages of its marketplace journey. Consumer and enterprise adoption may come slowly, perhaps even slower than expected.
But, if Apple continues to scale into new regions after WWDC 2024, significant investment and interest will be directed at immersive service providers ready to leverage the device via thoughtful partnerships and distribution efforts, which could potentially lead to increased adoption across the board.
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