The Immersive Wire - 8 June 2022 (News edition)

The Immersive Wire - 8 June 2022 (News edition)

June 08, 2022

8 June 2022 // by Tom Ffiske

VR/AR and metaverse analysis every Wednesday and Sunday

I'll be going to a 'physical NFT gallery' in London tomorrow, and I am intrigued to see how it goes. I also wrote a piece on whether

. In short, the tech is great, but it's not used in the most... positive way. 

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TOP STORYWWDC and other shenanigans

Apple had few immersive tech announcements

. 

  • It was not a surprise; Apple typically unveils software updates at the developer-focused event, with select hardware reveals (such as the M2). 

  • The exception was Apple RoomPlan, which scans a location and maps the surroundings. The possibilities of AR are still there, and it is a useful framework that devs could build on in the future. 

  • For now, Apple's mysterious headset goes back into the shadows, alongside the fans who want to hear more about the hardware. 

IDC found that Quest 2 sales are

. 

  • Remember that Meta has not disclosed the exact number of Quest 2 units that have been sold, so please treat the information with a pinch of salt.

  • Still, it demonstrates that VR is price-elastic for consumers, where the cheaper and effective standalone approach moves units quickly. 

  • The analysis also positions the Quest 2 as a console competitor. While it is slightly accurate, the Quest 2 and its capabilities go far beyond the gaming space. 

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OTHER STORIESGuides and stories

For this week, I have been swept by other obligations, which means for the first time in a year, the news section will be slightly different this week. Below is an excerpt from an upcoming guide on marketing in the metaverse, as well as a summary of AWE news that was released last Sunday. I hope you enjoy, and operations will be normal come Sunday. 

-/-

Showcasing a metaverse experience is incredibly difficult. Flashy visuals can excite potential consumers, but they can be burned by the reality of the product if it does not meet high expectations. Magic Leap is a classic example; the company released a video of a whale cresting a wave and falling to the wood-panelled floor with a splash, as spectators gasped in awe. The company shot up to be one of the most famous unicorns of the decade - before refreshing its approach when expectations never met reality. Imagery is important as well. Stock images of VR are a complete joke in the industry; some use a Samsung Gear while reaching out, while others are on the train, or in the middle of nowhere. None of them is realistic, or places the person in a context that makes sense. The stupidity of the imagery only harms the brand, not help to demonstrate the value. Instead, focus on what people will ‘feel’ when using the product. A hard approach, but one that also helps to clearly communicate the value that a company can bring. If you are creating an AR experience to train an engineer, then it will help them be more informed in the factory. The purpose of AR isn't that it is new and trendy; it leads to a genuine impact in retaining knowledge when learning a new skill. Speaking of skills; it is an open truth that immersive tech skills are in high demand at the moment. Customers deserve the best experience, if only to ensure they are as frictionless as possible (or as Luis Bravo Martins would say, help them navigate the complexities of it. 

-/-

AWE updates

  • Avataar launched its AR e-commerce integration for retailers.

  • AWE announced its $100,000 XR Prize challenge, to encourage the fight against climate change.

  • Bytedance showed off the Effect House at AWE, to rave reviews.

  • Campfire announced the Campfire Studio Console, a device that delivers large-scale shared holograms in design studios and open workspaces.

  • Dispelix announced a partnership with Jade Bird Displays (JBD) to develop a family of new reference designs for ARglasses.

  • KP9 Interactive announced today a licensing partnership with NuEyes Technology, which specialises in delivering AR glasses.

  • Magic Leap showed off the Magic Leap 2, which is getting great reviews.

  • MetaVRse launched MetaVRse Engline 2.0.

  • Pimax announced the Pixac Crystal, a new headset.

  • Qualcomm announced the global release of the Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform.

  • Snap announced its first AR Lensathon, with a top prize of $50,000.

  • Unanimous AI and Agora World announced a partnership to help bring its software platform into virtual worlds.

  • Unity‘s CEO came up with its (perhaps vague?) definition of the metaverse.

    • “The metaverse is the next generation of the internet that is always real-time, mostly 3D, mostly interactive, mostly social, and mostly persistent.”

  • XCOM Labs and The VOID created a realistic experience at the event.

  • Zappar announced new partnerships with Arcturus and Avatar SDK, and unveiled the Zapvision platform to help the partially sighted.

Remember that Google, Meta, and Microsoft run their own developer conferences, so they typically save their announcements for then.

That's all for this week! Want to have a chat, let me know about a news story, or talk business? Either reply to this email, or contact tom (at) immersivewire (dot) com. Have an excellent day!