So what, then, is the primary draw to XR? In some ways it might be better to think of Mixed Reality as a ‘gateway drug’ to VR. We can say one thing fairly confidently here with respect to how consumers interact with current XR tech: true awe generally doesn’t come from spatial widgets, it comes from spatial experiences that draw users into whole new realities which play into deep areas of wish fulfillment. So while our future certainly includes MR based applications, XR’s true ‘killer app’ is spatially aware, adaptive, replacive reality.
Lighter more comfortable heads are coming.
Check out the Bigscreen Beyond for an example of the current lightest headset.
It has taken way longer than expected for headsets to get and stay light and comfortable. Including the Vision Pro. But the micro displays that just arrived on the scene a few years ago will help lead to the lighter headsets we need.
But now we have another problem. Those micro displays are super expensive. They are the single most expensive part of the Beyond and the Vision Pro.
VR hardware didn’t advance fast enough. But it’s starting to round an important corner.