I usually agree with everything John Carmack says. But this time I don’t.
He recently wrote that Meta is making a mistake by bringing out a consumer level headset that focuses so much on mixed reality, rather than virtual reality. But I think he has it backwards.
Apple’s Vision Pro is clearly aspirational. Millions of people are not going to run out and spend their money on a headset that costs $3500.
But Meta’s Quest 3, at $500, is a very different value proposition. It is priced to be a popular Christmas stocking stuffer. This thing is meant for a mass market.
John Carmack thinks this is a mistake. I disagree. The only way these head worn devices will survive in the long run will be to jump entirely out of the category of “device for hardcore gamers.”
Adding good color pass-through and a depth sensor at an affordable price makes this the first really practical headset in an entirely different category: , one that is focused not on escapism, but on bringing enhancements to our actual lives.
And I think that is exactly the right move.
Kind of how IBM thought the personal computer was not going to make money?