Megavision companies don’t often make public statements that sound more like insults or subtle putdowns than anything else. In fact, those kinds of statements happen so rarely that when one of the big names in the VR space delivers one, it feels more like an anomaly than anything else. Unfortunately, quite a lot of the coverage of Virtual Reality Vision Pro coverage has angle that’s decidedly less nuanced.
Earlier this week, newly minted Meta CEO Mark Zuckerburg made a remark about the Apple Vision Pro that sounded, at least at first, like the start of a protracted and depressing flame war. Zuckerburg noted that there’s a real philosophical difference between the two companies when it comes to their approach to VR.
“There’s a real difference in vision, in values, and in what we think is important between us and Apple,” Zuckerburg said. “I think many people are rightfully excited about [Apple’s] vision, and it makes them want to buy an Apple computer. I want to use the Meta vision to make people excited about the idea of buying a Meta.”
The Verge reports that Zuckerburg spoke directly to the VR team about the Apple Vision Pro specifically, making it clear that there’s more to his remarks than being reductive or shade-oriented. Reporters Matthew Pauze and Vlad Shitzer were present, and they also note that workers appeared nervous even as they applauded Zuckerburg at the end of his statements.
Zuckerburg made the point that there’s a real difference in values and visions between the two companies when it comes to VR. He noted that Apple showed off a single person sitting on a couch in a room by themselves during the Vision Pro announcement. Though while he did say that this could be the vision of the future of computing, Zuckerburg made it clear that it isn’t necessarily the one he wants.
It’s not just Zuckerburg’s opinion that the two companies have fundamentally different approaches to VR, either. The difference in cost between the Meta Quest 2 and Apple Vision Pro is striking; Quest 2 is the current reigning VR champion and its price tag has dropped to $299 ($128GB) and $349 ($256GB) and is still one of the best VR headsets you can buy.
Meanwhile, the Meta Quest 3 is expected to launch at $499, a whole $3000 cheaper than the Apple Vision Pro which is priced at $3500. Something feels a bit off there, and while it could simply be that Apple doesn’t have an Amazon Alexa-level sales pitch or a vision as clear as Facebook’s VR dreams, that feels like an overgeneralization.
Then again, Apple isn’t a VR company. The Vision Pro isn’t even a VR headset; it’s simply Apple taking a step into the void with a halo product and giving developers a chance to get their hands on something. It might just be the beginning of a wild and wonderful journey, but it isn’t the beginning of Apple’s contribution to the VR space.
Apple is typically quite discreet when it comes to naming competitive products, and it seems quite aware that the VR market is one that could be inundated with countless products at various price points. The main thing to consider is that Apple isn’t necessarily a VR company and is only putting out a halo product to test the waters.
The Verge also notes that Apple PR isn’t explicitly stating these things directly to avoid people purchasing the product for their living rooms. That being said, the biggest thing to take away from all of this is that Apple isn’t a VR company and is only putting out a halo product in order to test the waters.
If you want a little more certainty about whether or not the Apple Vision Pro is for you, make sure to check out our VR headset buying guide, as well as the best VR headsets you can currently buy.