With the launch of Vision Pro augmented reality (AR) glasses, Apple could become a formidable competitor to Meta.
While Apple employees are confident the company will launch better products, Meta employees are skeptical about their ability to compete against their competitors. Mark Zuckerberg’s company may have to modify its product and marketing strategy based on Vision Pro’s performance.
According to Insider, Apple usually does not rush to launch products but spends a lot of time perfecting them. This helps Apple devices deliver a superior experience and beat other manufacturers. iPhone is a typical example of this strategy. About 15 years after smartphones revolutionized the technology industry, Apple now dominates the mobile device market in the US, accounting for more than half of all smartphones sold
In contrast to how Meta promoted the Quest, Apple focused more on the Vision Pro’s communication and entertainment features instead of its gaming capabilities. Both technology giants are taking advantage of their unique strengths to attract customers.
Right after CEO Tim Cook announced Vision Pro in June 2023, Mark Zuckerberg criticized Apple’s VR glasses for not having new breakthroughs at a company-wide meeting. CEO Meta said he initially felt worried that Apple might surpass Quest and force Meta to readjust its strategy. However, Zuckerberg sees Apple aiming Vision Pro at a higher market segment with a price of $3,499. Meanwhile, Meta is considering lowering the prices of old glass models to reach more consumers.
In September, Meta announced the Quest 3 starting at $499, $200 more expensive than its predecessor. Quest 3 has Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, a better screen, and a passthrough feature. The outstanding feature of Quest 3 is the ability to quickly see the outside world, making the device less isolated and comfortable to use for long periods of time. When using the application on Quest 3, double-tapping any part of the glasses will take the user out of the virtual world and into passthrough mode.
To date, Meta has invested $21 billion in Reality Labs – which develops VR glasses and software
