Apple’s Mixed Reality Glasses: Not Metaverse-Focused

According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, known for his accurate insights about Apple, the tech giant’s upcoming mixed reality glasses are not expected to primarily focus on the metaverse concept.

This diverges from the trend set by many other technology brands, notably Facebook (now Meta), which consider the metaverse as the future of technology and augmented reality.

Despite the rising popularity of the metaverse, as highlighted in various articles and discussions, Apple’s approach with its mixed reality glasses seems to be different.

The glasses, set to combine both virtual and augmented reality technologies, are primarily aimed at gaming, communication, and content consumption.

Gurman notes that these glasses will not be intended for all-day use, which suggests they may not be fully aligned with the immersive and continuous experience typically associated with metaverse platforms.

As for the technical aspects, Apple’s mixed reality glasses are expected to be introduced in 2022. Speculations suggest that they might feature an Apple M-series processor and a high-resolution display.

Regarding pricing, it’s anticipated that the glasses could be priced around $3,000. More detailed information about these glasses and their capabilities is likely to emerge upon their official introduction.

Editor Commentary

This is the most “Apple” move imaginable, and honestly, it’s the smartest one. While the entire tech world frantically rebrands and pivots to chase the “Metaverse” buzzword (thanks to Meta’s big announcement), Apple is signaling that it will, as always, play its own game.

Gurman’s report that they aren’t focusing on the “Metaverse” is the key insight. Apple doesn’t want to build a clunky, alternative virtual world for us to escape into; it wants to build the operating system that overlays our real world. They aren’t interested in selling virtual land; they’re interested in building the next major computing platform.

That $3,000 price tag is the clearest signal of all. This first headset (if it even arrives in 2022) isn’t the “Apple Glass” for you and me. This is the “Pro” model—a high-end, premium tool for developers. This is how they’ll build the ecosystem. Apple will spend the next few years (let’s say, until 2025) getting the best developers in the world to create the “killer apps” for this new “Mixed Reality” platform.

Here’s my prediction: By 2025, the term “Metaverse” will already feel dated and gimmicky. We’ll probably be talking about “Spatial Computing” or whatever slick marketing term Apple invents for this. Meta is playing a social media game, but Apple is playing the long-term hardware and ecosystem game. This $3,000 device isn’t a product; it’s the seed for the thing that will eventually, perhaps in a decade, replace the iPhone.

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