MARK Zuckerberg has only stoked the rivalry between his company Meta and Apple, along with its so-called ‘fanboys’, since his review of the new Vision Pro.
The Apple Vision Pro headset was released in the US on February 2, marking a whole new product category for the iPhone maker in the realms of virtual reality (VR).
The Vision Pro enters a market that has largely been dominated by Meta’s VR headset, the Quest.
Last week, Zuckerberg set out to defend his long-running Quest devices – which have been going since 2019 – and his big dream for the metaverse.
The Meta owner, 39, had hardly any positives to say about the flashy Apple Vision Pro, only managing to describe some features as “nice”.
While this has riled up hardcore Apple fans, Zuckerberg doesn’t believe he said anything out of line.
“First of all, I’m not laughing at them. I take Apple seriously,” he told the Morning Brew Daily podcast.
“I think it’s a good company. They do good work.”
“The CEO added: I’m just laying out the facts as I see them today.
“I’m not saying they’re not going to improve, but hey, we’re going to improve too. I actually think we’ll probably improve faster.”
He suggested people were only riled up for questioning Apple’s product.
“I do think there’s this whole vibe with Apple fanboys, which I find kind of a little funny, where a lot of people get upset if you dare to question if Apple will lead in a new space,” Zuckerberg said.
So, what is the difference?
The Sun has broken down the basic differences between the Apple Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3 here.
Although the tech billionaire’s biggest point in his review last week was the eyewatering price difference.
The current Meta Quest 3 starts from about £479.99 / $499, whereas the Apple Vision Pro is a whooping £2,749 / $3,499.
The Facebook founder didn’t show himself wearing the rival headset.
But in terms of both headset’s comfortability, he – unsurprisingly – opted for his own.
According to Apple, there are more than 600 new apps that were made just for the Vision Pro.
However, some very popular apps aren’t yet accessible – namely Netflix.
Meanwhile the Meta Quest 3 has over 1,000 games and apps in the Meta Quest Store – and Netflix – but users say streaming comes in at a lower resolution.
Zuckerberg said that Quest’s immersive content library is “a lot deeper” and that users can watch YouTube or play Xbox on it, which the Vision Pro doesn’t support.
The tech billionaire concluded his review saying that he believes Quest will win the competition for market share because it has an “open model” whereas Apple is stricter.
“I think we have a really good chance at winning, and I’m really committed to doing that,” Zuckerberg said.
“I’m a competitive person, I’m passionate about what we’re doing. We’re planning to win.”
Virtual Reality v Augmented Reality
Let’s break it down:
- Virtual reality involves using a headset to simulate a virtual world.
- Virtual reality involves using a headset to simulate a virtual world.
- Popular VR headsets include the HTC Vive and Facebook’s Meta Quest – and now the Apple Vision Pro.
- Augmented reality lets you see the real world, but “augments” (or adds on) computer-generated elements.
- This means you’ll be able to see computer images overlaid onto your real-world view
- For instance, you could wear glasses that overlay directions onto the road in front of you.
- Popular AR headsets include Microsoft’s HoloLens, the Google Glass spectacles and the XREAL Air 2 Pro.
- See the XREAL Air 2 Pro in action here.
Maria Malik is your guide to the immersive world of Virtual Reality (VR). With a passion for VR technology, she explores the latest VR headsets, applications, and experiences, providing readers with in-depth reviews, industry insights, and a glimpse into the future of virtual experiences.
