Mark Zuckerberg Sees No Competitor in Apple's New AR Headset
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, appears unperturbed by Apple's launch of the Vision Pro. He discussed his thoughts during a company-wide meeting held at Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, which The Verge had the opportunity to attend.
Zuckerberg claimed that Apple’s device had no significant technological advancements that Meta hadn't "already explored." He also expressed his dissent with Apple's concept for how users will utilize the device, stating it was "not the one that I want." The tech mogul took a jab at Apple's pricing strategy, emphasizing that Meta's forthcoming Quest 3 headset would be significantly less expensive ($499 vs. Vision Pro's $3,499), thus allowing Meta to cater to a broader audience.
Zuckerberg articulated the difference in vision and values between the two tech giants, pointing out that Meta's focus is on facilitating novel interactions and making people feel more connected. He contrasted this with Apple's vision, which, according to him, features individuals sitting alone on their couches.
Despite the relaxed response to Apple's announcement, there has been underlying tension within Meta, primarily due to Apple's entry into the virtual and augmented reality space. This move presents a major competitive challenge for Meta, which has been making considerable investments to establish its dominance in the realm. Although Meta has had some success in VR gaming and fitness, it has faced hurdles in penetrating the high-end and general computing market targeted by Apple.
During the meeting, Zuckerberg reassured his team about Meta's approach to this emerging market, stressing that their vision for a fundamentally social metaverse is in sharp contrast with Apple's solitary use case. He affirmed that seeing Apple's competition made him "even more excited and optimistic" about Meta's endeavors in the sector.
Zuckerberg articulated the difference in vision and values between the two tech giants, pointing out that Meta's focus is on facilitating novel interactions and making people feel more connected. He contrasted this with Apple's vision, which, according to him, features individuals sitting alone on their couches.
Despite the relaxed response to Apple's announcement, there has been underlying tension within Meta, primarily due to Apple's entry into the virtual and augmented reality space. This move presents a major competitive challenge for Meta, which has been making considerable investments to establish its dominance in the realm. Although Meta has had some success in VR gaming and fitness, it has faced hurdles in penetrating the high-end and general computing market targeted by Apple.
During the meeting, Zuckerberg reassured his team about Meta's approach to this emerging market, stressing that their vision for a fundamentally social metaverse is in sharp contrast with Apple's solitary use case. He affirmed that seeing Apple's competition made him "even more excited and optimistic" about Meta's endeavors in the sector.
