On June 5^th Apple made its highly anticipated debut into the world of VR/AR. While the jaw-dropping price made headlines, the overall reaction was positive. Horizon Media’s WHY Group examined over 400k online posts to understand people’s reactions to the Apple Vision Pro and what this may mean for AR/VR. 

Sentiment Leans Positive, Despite Downsides

The event drove mass coverage via news and tech enthusiasts, generating over 400k posts in the first 60 hours following the announcement. Despite its jaw-dropping $3,500 price tag — and in a departure from the company’s history of revolutionary products, its resemblance to what’s already on the market — the overall sentiment is positive as many focus on its technological achievements.  

Image source: Apple

Pushing the “Metaverse” Forward

When it comes to new technologies, Horizon Media’s May Tech Adoption Tracker found that just 13% of people have engaged with the “Metaverse”, with little indication that adoption is changing significantly. However, Apple’s clout and history of continued product innovation may make all the difference. Even those who are currently reluctant are open to future consideration, with the knowledge that the Vision Pro is a “first-gen” rollout that will likely pave the way for more accessible and sleek iterations down the line.

Image source: Apple

For now, many are finding it hard to justify the price jump over existing AR/VR products or computers and tablets for productivity and entertainment. Time will tell the true level of interest as more people are able to test and review the Vision Pro leading up to its 2024 release date.

Source: Netbase Quid, 6/5/2023 – 6/7/2023

But what about Meta?

~7% of Vision Pro conversation (30k posts) also mentions Meta, which stands to benefit from increased interest in VR. While Meta has a current competitive edge when it comes to gaming and price, some see a new economy of headsets and content formats in which Meta and Apple both have a place.