Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has never hidden his opinions against some of Apple’s decisions, especially after the company introduced App Tracking Transparency. This time, Zuckerberg criticized Apple and its rumored mixed reality headset as he argued that the metaverse should be “open.”
Zuckerberg is skeptical about Apple’s rumored headset
While Apple’s AR/VR headset won’t be ready until 2023, Meta on Tuesday unveiled its new virtual reality headset. The Meta Quest Pro comes with advanced sensors for facial tracking and some other impressive technologies. In an interview with The Verge, Zuckerberg said why he believes Meta’s VR ecosystem is better than what Apple has been working on.
For Zuckerberg, the main concern is not about having the best hardware, but having an open ecosystem. The Meta CEO said that the company is in a “philosophical competition” with Apple as both companies work on the future of what he calls the metaverse.
The executive used the example of PC versus Mac and Android versus iOS to illustrate how Apple tries to lock users into its ecosystem while other platforms can together take advantage of the “upside of what is created.” He argued that the metaverse should be “interoperable” and built by many different developers and companies.
According to Zuckerberg, Apple can hurt both competitors and consumers with its rumored mixed reality headset since the company already has full control over the iPhone, which is used by billions of people around the world. “The things that they’re doing are not as altruistic as they claim them to be,” he said about Apple.
Meta has been working with partners such as Microsoft, Autodesk, and Accenture to build its metaverse platform. The new Meta Quest Pro is one of the company’s bets to make the metaverse a reality for more people.
Based on rumors, Apple has been working on at least three new AR/VR headsets. The first will be “Apple Reality Pro,” an advanced mixed reality headset that will compete directly with the Meta Quest Pro. The device is expected to feature 8K displays and advanced sensors for gesture and environment detection. Analysts believe the product will cost between $1,000 and $3,000.
At the same time, Apple has also been developing a cheaper version of its headset, as well as lighter augmented reality glasses. These, however, won’t be ready until 2024 at the earliest.
In a recent interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook suggested that he disagrees with Meta’s vision of the metaverse. According to Cook, the average person likely doesn’t even know what the metaverse is, and he doesn’t believe that people should be encouraged to “live their whole lives” in a virtual world.
Unsurprisingly, Cook didn’t say a word about Apple’s upcoming products in this category.
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