The launch of Apple MR opens the era of "spatial computing"
At the WWDC2023 conference, Apple first announced the 15-inch MacBook Air, and then introduced the performance of Apple's iOS 17 in terms of software, but the most eye-catching thing is Apple's first head-mounted display device.
It's a compelling augmented reality (AR) device. In addition to providing an AR experience, Vision Pro can also switch between augmented reality and full virtual reality (VR) with a single knob, bringing users a more diverse and immersive experience.
Vision Pro adopts a unique interaction method, users can perform input operations through natural movement methods such as gestures , without the need for additional external devices such as handles . This simplified input method not only lowers the threshold of use, but also improves the efficiency of interaction, making it easier for users to interact with digital content.
In terms of hardware configuration, Vision Pro is equipped with a powerful M2 chip and a new R1 chip . The R1 chip is mainly responsible for real-time sensor processing technology. According to officials, it only takes 12 milliseconds to transmit data to reach the target, which is faster than the blink of an eye. This provides users with a smooth and fast operating experience.
Additionally, Vision Pro introduces a new spatial operating system, vision OS , which enables users to interact with digital content in an immersive manner. This immersive experience makes people feel as if they are in a virtual world and enjoy immersive interaction with digital content.
In terms of battery life, Vision Pro uses a separate battery design and comes with an external battery that can provide 2 hours of battery life. This external battery is connected with a flexible braided cable for portability, allowing users to easily slip it into their pocket.
In terms of display, the Vision Pro uses microOLED technology and is equipped with two panels with a total of 23 million pixels. Compared with the fast-lcd screens used by mainstream Standalone VR devices on the market, Vision Pro has obvious advantages in terms of display effect and power consumption.
In addition to hardware innovation, Vision Pro also cooperates with Disney to jointly create a software and content ecosystem. This means that users can interact with Disney characters through Vision Pro, creating a richer and more diverse virtual experience.
In addition, Vision Pro also supports collaboration with external devices such as Bluetooth keyboards and headsets, and the multitasking method also greatly improves the user's work efficiency.
All in all, Apple's Vision Pro brings users an innovative AR experience. Through its diverse functions and simplified interaction methods, users can easily enjoy the world of augmented reality and full virtual reality. Equipped with advanced hardware and software technology, Vision Pro provides users with an immersive, clear and efficient experience, integrating digital content into real life.
VR development is a history of technological iteration
If you disassemble a VR all-in-one machine, you will find that the display screen, chips, and optical devices occupy the main cost of the VR all-in-one machine, and the technical performance of these three parts also greatly affects the performance of the device. The iterative process of VR equipment in the past is also a history of technological development.
display technology
Inception: Early VR devices used CRT (cathode ray tube) displays. While these displays are capable of high refresh rates and pixel densities, they are bulky, and suffer from eye fatigue issues.
LCD screen: With the development of liquid crystal display (LCD), VR devices began to use LCD screens. These screens are thinner, offer higher resolutions and faster response times, improving the viewing experience for users.
OLED and microOLED screens: In recent years, VR devices have adopted organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and micro OLED (microOLED) screen technologies. These screens feature higher contrast ratios, wider color gamuts and faster pixel response times for sharper, more lifelike and smoother images.
chip technology
Low-performance chips: Early VR devices used low-performance chips, which limited their graphics processing and real-time responsiveness. This leads to image quality limitations and runtime latency issues.
High-performance graphics chips: With the improvement of computer graphics and processing capabilities, VR devices begin to use high-performance graphics chips, such as independent graphics processing units (GPUs) and custom processors. These chips can handle complex graphics calculations and real-time rendering, providing a more realistic and smooth virtual experience.
Integrated chip: To further improve performance and reduce power consumption, modern VR devices use an integrated chip design that integrates CPU, GPU, and other key functions. This design provides higher efficiency and better overall performance.
Dedicated chip: The performance of the head-mounted display device requires the high computing speed of the underlying chip. With the development of technology, there have been dedicated chips used in the head-mounted display device to better match the performance of the head-mounted display device.
Optics Technology
The development of VR optical technology has gone through three stages, aspheric lens-Fresnel lens-folded optical path Pancake.
Aspherical lens
Aspheric lens is a design with irregular lens surface shape, which can improve the spherical aberration problem of spherical lens according to the demand. It has the advantages of small size, high resolution and low cost.
Fresnel lens
Fresnel lens is a design invented by French physicist Fresnel, which only retains the curved surface for light refraction, greatly reducing the amount of material used and the thickness. However, the Fresnel lens will also cause image distortion, which needs to be solved by improving the design accuracy or taking compensation measures.
Pancake optical solution
The Pancake optical solution is a solution used in head-mounted display devices. It uses optical elements such as half-mirrors, polarizers, and reflective polarizing films to perform multiple refractions and reflections, and finally injects light from the reflective polarizing film into the human body. Eye. The Pancake solution can significantly reduce the size of the device while improving problems such as image distortion and edge glare. However, the cost of the pancake solution is relatively high, the field of view is small, and the light efficiency is also low. For the popularization of VR products, the volume problem cannot be ignored, so the Pancake solution is the future development direction.
These lens technology changes are aimed at improving the optical performance of VR devices, reducing distortion, improving image quality, and providing a more comfortable viewing experience. In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology, we can expect more innovations and improvements to further enhance the performance and user experience of VR device lenses.
VR equipment hits a low tide
When the metaverse concept became popular last year, VR/AR equipment, as the entrance to the metaverse, has achieved rapid development. However, as concepts related to the metaverse cool down, and as consumers' consumption concepts return to normal, VR/AR devices are cold in the market.
According to research by TrendForce, a market research firm, global shipments of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices will total 7.45 million units in 2023, an annual decrease of 18.2%. VR will decline the most in 2023, with shipments of about 6.67 million units. The reason for the low shipments of VR equipment, in addition to the reasons such as the decline in the industry cycle, is that the technical defects of the current equipment still exist.
software level
At present, head-mounted display devices have not entered the hands of consumers in large numbers. One of the important reasons is that there is no scene of extreme dependence . Compared with mobile phones, our basic needs in daily life can be met on mobile phones. The frequency of use is relatively high.
As for the head-mounted display device, it seems that it is of no use to most people except for games. Even so, the currently developed game content does not have a detonated product, which cannot arouse consumers' desire to buy. As an entertainment starter, taking VR as an example, the content ecology of VR is far less out of the circle than that of consoles.
Secondly, in terms of experience, we can use mobile phones to operate anytime, anywhere, which is simple and fast. On the contrary, headsets need to bring equipment, mediation, settings and other links and steps. This cumbersome experience is also unfriendly to consumers.
Then why don't developers go to the developed content? This involves a very important factor - cost. For an excellent product content, it is possible to invest millions or even tens of millions in development costs, which is destined not to be affordable by small businesses.
From the perspective of a company, if there is no broad market prospect, it will be difficult to have the motivation to persist in R&D and production. Recently, we have seen many companies that originally made headsets change their business ideas. This is not because the company is not optimistic, but because it cannot support down. Especially seeing the further decline in equipment shipments since 2023, it is more understandable for companies to choose.
It seems that there is a lack of content at the software level, and the lower level is the game between cost and market sales.
hardware level
A VR device is a combination of multiple pieces of hardware. For the most important chip of a VR device, the current mainstream flagship devices are all Qualcomm chips, but a closer look at the previous generation of XR2 turned out to be a product of 2019. This era is relatively old for trendy equipment.
In addition to the old version, the iteration speed is also not satisfactory. VR has a higher demand for image processing and computing capabilities of chips, and a stronger demand for various special sensor chips. At present, the iterative speed of the head-mounted display device chip will only produce a phenomenal product in half a year.
Therefore, the insufficient experience of the product leads to the decline of user attractiveness, the decrease of user attractiveness leads to the increase of manufacturer's development cost, and the increase of manufacturer's development cost leads to insufficient supply chain budget, which ultimately leads to insufficient product power and insufficient product experience.
The technical backwardness of hardware equipment brings about a game between experience and sales.
Judging from the technical development of head-mounted display equipment and the equipment launched by various major manufacturers, it is experiencing rapid development and continuous innovation.
