Apple’s WWDC 2024 wraps this week. The firm announced new frameworks and regional availability during the event, potentially shifting the focus to new markets. The broader space has been watching the event, with the significant technology vendor bringing increased attention and investment when it highlights XR.
AWE 2024 is coming up next week. Starting on Tuesday, the event is set to continue a trend of new AR/VR/MR products, solutions, partnerships, and more, ready to leverage this week’s series of Apple announcements.
Next week will be significant for XR, but the biggest news is coming out of WWDC and other leading firms ahead of AWE.
WWDC 24: Everything Businesses Need to Know about Vision Pro
During the WWDC 2024, Apple unveiled new regional availability for Vision Pro and the visionOS 2 framework. This framework is designed to enhance device adoption and application creation. It’s important to note that WWDC is primarily targeted at developers who are loyal to Apple.
In the days following the keynote, WWDC developer sessions provide valuable insights into Apple’s Vision Pro plans. In response to WWDC, third-party XR solution providers are paying attention to the latest updates to support the device for use cases such as 3D design collaboration and professional-grade XR video capture.
The leading news is that the Vision Pro will be available for pre-order in eight new regions globally this month. The release will enable selected areas to access the device by early next month.
Pre-orders for China (mainland) will be available for 24,502 CNY, for Japan at 484,415 JPY, and for Singapore at 4,725 SGD starting this Thursday, June 13, at 6 p.m. PT. The product is set to be released on Friday, June 28.
Apple will also open pre-orders for Australia at 5,195 AUD, Canada at 4,725 CAD, France at 3,245 EUR, Germany at 3,245 EUR, and the United Kingdom at 2,785 GBP later this month on Friday, June 28, at 5 a.m. PT. General availability will start on Friday, July 12.
The product includes various accessories such as a solo knit band, a dual loop band, a personalized light seal with two light seal cushions, an Apple Vision Pro cover, a polishing cloth, a battery, a USB-C charge cable, and a USB-C power adapter. Additionally, the package includes ZEISS Optical Prescription inserts that improve clarity.
Along with the broader international availability, Apple is also debuting fresh updates to Vison Pro’s enterprise APIs, operating system, and 3D object interaction.
TouchDIVER Pro Haptic Glove to Debut at AWE 2024
WEART is revealing a new haptic glove solution just in time for the Augmented World Expo 2024 (AWE 2024), where the leading haptic hardware vendor will showcase the new device and its enterprise value.
The new TouchDIVER Pro haptic glove introduces a new design with six additional actuation points covering all five fingers and the palm area.
These new actuation points allow TouchDIVER Pro users to experience haptic feedback with increased accuracy, immersion, and sophistication.
WEART will officially introduce the TouchDIVER Pro device at AWE 2024 at booth 630, giving attendees an in-person product presentation and showcasing new features and abilities.
Canon Debuts Innovative Lens for Capturing VR Content
Canon, a leading consumer and professional camera hardware vendor, has announced a new XR lens to expand its range of products for capturing 360-degree and VR content.
The new RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens is compatible with EOS R7 cameras and aims to support the trend of capturing VR content.
This lens offers a 144-degree wide-angle view and utilizes equidistant projection to support diverse VR content creation.
It is suitable for handheld and static usage, features one-shot autofocus, Left/Right focus adjustment, Air Sphere Coating (ASC) to minimize ghosting, and supports additional filters.
Additionally, Canon is providing the EOS VR Utility software as a separate subscription service to streamline the editing process in post-production workflows.
Ex-Meta CTO John Carmack Casts Doubts on Quest Pro
After previous concerns about Meta’s operating system development, Meta’s former CTO, John Carmack, explained his opposition during the development of the Quest Pro device. This device is a workplace-focused solution that utilizes MR interactions. The Pro headset was released alongside the Quest 3 MR headset, which offers a similar experience at a lower price.
In an X Post, Carmack stated:
I tried hard to kill the Pro completely, I had very high confidence that it would be a commercial failure and distract the teams for a year, preventing them from doing more valuable work on mass market products. Still, to be fair, you can’t really compare the wired PSVR2 with standalone Quest Pro.
Carmack’s assessment is fair, considering the Quest Pro headset has not entered the enterprise space like other headsets. However, the device has previously showcased MR spatial productivity applications and is priced similarly to Apple’s Vision Pro, though it hasn’t made as much of an impact.
While Carmack recognizes Meta’s dominance in VR gaming, noting that Sony’s recent PSVR 2 headset doesn’t meet the same standards as the Quest Pro, the device boasts impressive specs and potential use cases. Nevertheless, adoption has been slow. Meta may introduce more updates for the Pro device at Connect 2024 later this year. On the other hand, the company is expanding Quest usage in education with a new solution set to debut later this year.
