Image: From Apple’s WWDC launch of its new and highly anticipated mixed reality headset Vision Pro.
I am not one to make dramatic announcements, but education in general and our work at Simply will never be the same once Augmented Reality (AR) fulfills its potential.
Apple just released Vision Pro, its first version of what this future will look like, and while the voices surrounding the anticipated technology have been cautious, I want to share why I’m so excited about it and believe it’s about to change everything.
First of all, the initial focus on AR (or mixed reality to be exact) vs. Virtual Reality (VR) is interesting. We would not be the first to consider AR as a potential game changer, while VR as more of a very very cool feature. Interestingly, in its latest announcement, Meta also shared mixed reality capabilities in its flagship VR headset. Apple’s headset, as a strong differentiation, includes hand positioning capabilities, realistic passthrough tech, controllerless experience(!) and gesture control, which make for what seems to be a powerful bridge between the real world and the digital. In a world on the brink of a computer-takes-it-all dystopian landslide, we’re all about these bridges.
Imagine a time when a child can sit with a real guitar at home and as she plays her favorite song, the strings where fingers are supposed to press light up, guiding her as she learns to read notes, practices chords, picks and strums, and builds confidence.
She can even summon a virtual audience to cheer her on in “Carnegie Hall” or another venue of her liking — all from her familiar living room, playing on her real life actual guitar.
I don’t know about you, but this version of learning and engaging in creativity at home seems like science fiction to me, born of CGI and conjured by the minds of dreamers. But the reality in which learning creative skills becomes an immersive experience in the true sense of the word, is today closer than ever before.
What Simply Guitar the AR version would look like. For illustration purposes only.
All eyes on Apple
Ahead of the highly anticipated launch of Apple’s mixed reality headset, reporters and industry experts were buzzing with speculation. The metaverse has been a topic of debate and discussion for several years, with different viewpoints and concerns raised. Some have reservations about privacy, security, and the potential for virtual experiences to replace real-world interactions. Others express skepticism about the technological feasibility, and ethical implications of a fully realized metaverse. Leading up to the launch, investors were reportedly tuning in to see whether Apple’s entry into the mixed reality market will disrupt and in some ways revive the industry and set new standards for immersive technology.
Apple has always successfully combined new hardware and software to create market defining devices, and that’s what many are hoping this new chapter will bring about for the adoption and commodification of mixed reality and AR hardware. Myself included.
In fact, as this extraordinary technology becomes a common thread in our existence, I think we will witness a profound shift. I would like to say that it will impact the device that accompanies us everywhere, our trusty (and beloved!) smartphone, but I don’t think we’re anywhere near our omnipresent companions gracefully taking a step back. Previous attempts failed miserably as we all know too well. One of their failure points was that wearing these devices out in the open was just plain awkward (and that’s being polite).
Our smartphones won’t be replaced that easily, but maybe, just maybe, when AR matures it could transcend the need for our at-home tablet. This coincides with the types of experiences presented, which were essentially at-home uses, from an immersive workstation, to entertainment and learning.
What Simply Draw the AR version would look like . For illustration purposes only.
A realm of endless possibilities
AR has the power to create immersive experiences by overlaying virtual elements onto the real world. It will enable learners to visualize abstract ideas, interact with 3D models, and engage in hands-on simulations, fostering deeper understanding and fathoms of fun. It will enable our learners to stay grounded in their physical reality, while enjoying an immersive experience in the augmented layer added on to it. Being able to dynamically transition between an augmented reality, where we can spend significant time learning and polishing our skills, and a virtual reality (VR), where we can amplify our experience and let our wildest imagination dictate the way, will transform our learning journeys and our creative self expression.
The challenges are immense, as has been covered extensively, but that is true about everything worthwhile. There is no doubt that this technology will in time shrink down in size and price, and these virtual tools will become extensions not only of our imagination but our daily routines. It really isn’t a distant future in which everyone will be able to learn and create with unprecedented freedom and share their vision and personal experiences with others in a capacity far beyond our grasp today.
As someone who is deeply passionate about education, creativity and technology, Apple’s Vision Pro signals a time in which all learning becomes an awe-inspiring adventure, a realm of endless possibilities, and Simply is strongly positioned to lead the way toward this imminent future. It’s not quite there yet, but it’s closer than ever before, as are we…
Yuval Kaminka is Co-Founder and CEO at Simply.
