The VR and AR arms race
Out now in The Spectator May Edition: on the goldmines in virtual worlds, Apple Vision Pro, and future of computing.
“Apple framed the February release of the Vision Pro as the next iPhone moment, the debut of a beautiful device that will revolutionize the way we work and live, the first “spatial computer.” Throw out your ugly monitors and chunky tower PCs! As I popped on the Vision Pro, digital widgets and windows floated before me in midair, casting soft shadows into the room; they were controlled as though by thought, by looking at them and tapping my fingers. It was digital telepathy — and I could open as many windows as I wanted, wherever I pleased. With the scroll of its “reality dial,” the world faded away and I was at Joshua Tree, hearing the sounds of the natural world.
Trying it felt like the future. It made me excited about tech — and I wasn’t alone. When the headset released, Twitter was flooded with people pretending to use them as they drove, or sat on the subway, or stepped out of Cybertrucks looking like jackasses. YouTube was filled with viral content of creators trying it out.
But in the months since, you probably haven’t thought much about the Vision Pro. You didn’t buy one and you don’t feel as though you’re missing out on the revolution. That’s not surprising.”
Out now in The Spectator: my big feature from our upcoming May edition. It’s one of my best pieces so far this year. Read it now!