AI: Three personal 'Wow' moments with Apple Vision Pro
...Macbook Virtual Display, Cinema Mode movies, and Alicia Keys Rehearsal
I’ve had the weekend to tinker with the Apple Vision Pro. I’ve written a fair bit about it, both in terms of the general reactions to Apple’s new ‘Spatial Comuting’ platform, and the strategic implications for Apple, especially in the context of the AI Tech Wave.
As many have noted, it’s an open-end platform that is a fusion of remarkable technologies pulled forward from the future, AND hundreds of thousands of apps pulled from Apple’s formidable ecosystem of apps and services, from the Mac, iPhone, iPad and more.
I’d like to highlight my favorite three ‘Wow’ moments with the device.
A personal take with your indulgence. Others have written and discussed their insightful takes.
But trying them out and using them for a long time personally with the device, makes a massive difference. I’ve already outlined them above in the headline in no particular order. So let me briefly provide more amplification on each.
Macbook and Mac Virtual Display: This one is special. Works on desktop Macs, Macbook Air or Pro laptops. After gazing briefy at the open Macbook, a ‘Connect’ icon pops up above the laptop screen.
Pinch and click on it with thumb and forefinger, and up pops a virtual macbook screen above it. Enlarge and reposition as needed. Then work on that screen with the macbook’s keyboard and trackpad/mouse. Magical. For now only one screen possible. BUT, and it’s a big ‘But’, one can have a host of other Vision Pro Safari windows open around it, thus multiple screens of content and activities. Fusing Mac OS and Vision OS together. All done in Apple’s inimitable style, simplicity, and seamless convenience. Worth the price of admission by itself, in my humble opinion.
Cinema mode movies: Much has been written about the immersive nature of movies and shows on the device. Indeed, the Disney partnership I wrote about yesterday along provides a plethora of 3D and other ‘spatial’ video content to enjoy on the device.
My personal ‘aha’ moment came with Apple TV+ ‘Masters of the Air’ show, following on US WWII storytelling with Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks’ ‘Band of Brothers’ and ‘The Pacific’.
This one’s about the Air War over Europe in the 1940s. What’s magical here is the ability to use ‘Cinema’ mode with this and most other video content. Transports the viewer to an experience like being at the movies. Complete with a choice of seating around the ‘theater’. Absolutely a time for microwave popcorn. And a ‘Magic Moment’ I’m in complete agreement on with my friend Om Malik’s Vision Pro ‘Magic Moments’.
Alicia Keys Rehearsal video: There are a few pre-packaged videos available with Version 1 of the Vision Pro that are impressive. These are short 5-20 minutes worth of high wattage video produced by luminaries and of course commissioned by Apple. Highlights include Jon Favreau’s Dinosaurs vignette, and ‘Highlining’ featuring Faith Dickey, high above the fjords in Norway.
Very much watching to get the true immersive and stomach-churning as advertised.
But the one that took my breath away was the 20 minutes on Alicia Keys rehearsing and performing three top hits with her band in the studio. The panoramic perspective of the session, with spatial cameras cleverly hidden in what looks like giant white speakers placed around the large studio, was truly extraordinary. The spatial sound of the music was enveloping. Absolutely makes one think of being able to see any music, drama, or sports event in an utterly different light. The extraordinarily Scarce venues, made truly Abundant. Through virtual, digital technologies. Apple presciently bought the company that helped create the video above back in 2020. A company called NextVR. Very much recommend you watch this on a Vision Pro at an Apple store.
These are but three small vignettes and glimpses into possibilities from the future coming at us fast and furious. Apple has the best platform, but others like Meta and so many others now have the luxury of the grandest, richest experiment in ‘Spatial Computing’ (aka VR, MR, AR etc.), to take ‘inspiration’ and build on. Truly ‘On the Shoulders of Giants’ (OTSOG) form.
And of course we will see these applications expanded on and stretched in many directions with AI as well. Apple Vision Pro will dent technology going forward, regardless of failure or success of Tim Cook’s grand bet for almost a decade.
Hope you find this small guide post useful in your own explorations with this technology. Stay tuned.
NOTE: The discussions here are for information purposes only, and not meant as investment advice at any time. Thanks for joining us here)