What’s the point of the Apple Vision Pro AR headset? To prime Disney creators and others to come up with uses for us consumers, experts say

Augmented reality headsets like the Apple Vision Pro have yet to wow consumers, who don’t see compelling uses for them to justify their price

Apple hopes to change that by offering immersive Disney features, but the headset’s true target may be Disney developers, who could bring new offerings to fans

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Apple and Disney are partnering for the Apple Vision Pro, an augmented reality headset the two companies are hoping will change entertainment. But it may be Disney creators who can benefit most at first, and come up with content for consumers. Photo: Apple

Published: 4:15pm, 25 Jun 2023

When Apple announced its long-awaited augmented reality (AR) headset, Vision Pro, early in June 2023, part of the pitch was that these goggles – reminiscent of those in 2018 sci-fi film Ready Player One – would change how we consume entertainment.

With Walt Disney chief executive Bob Iger on hand to show off immersive new features in entertainment and sports, it seemed like two of the best-known brands in the media world were placing their bets on augmented and virtual reality (VR).

Having content from Hollywood studios such as Disney has long been seen as a way to take the VR business mainstream after years of false starts. Part of the reason pricey VR headsets have failed is the lack of compelling stuff for customers to play with.

“Without content, it’s a mansion with no furniture,” says Dan Ives, a managing director and tech analyst at investment firm Wedbush Securities.

The Apple Vision Pro headset is reminiscent of those in 2018 sci-fi film “Ready Player One”. Photo: Warner Bros

But at US$3,499 a pop, the Apple headsets may not be revelatory enough to convince the public that it is worth it. To a sceptic, the functions Iger presented might even come off like gimmicks.