Mark Zuckerberg criticises Apple’s mixed-reality headset

Meta founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg told employees at the company’s headquarters that Apple’s mixed-reality headset Vision Pro did not impress him much. The Verge reports.

“From what I’ve seen, the good news is that they don’t have any magical solutions to bypass the laws of physics that our experts haven’t already studied and considered. They used displays with higher resolution, […] but the glasses cost seven times more than the Quest 3,” said the Meta CEO.

He also criticised the high energy usage of Apple Vision Pro, which requires a wired battery.

“Their announcement demonstrates the difference in the values and vision of our companies, which I consider truly important. We are innovating so that our products are as affordable as possible for everyone, […] and we have sold tens of millions of Quest,” added Zuckerberg.

He said that Meta builds devices for socialising and activities, whereas Apple’s presentation shows Vision Pro being used on the couch, alone.

At the end of his remarks, Zuckerberg said the competitor’s announcement inspired him and filled him with optimism. On June 1, Meta представила Quest 3 priced from $500. The device will go on sale in autumn 2023.

Earlier this month, Apple presented its first mixed-reality headset Vision Pro, priced at $3,499. Start of sales is planned for early 2024.

In January 2022, Apple rejected the idea of a metaverse for its mixed-reality headset. According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, the digital world concept as Meta envisions it is “forbidden” within the company.

Earlier, Apple product analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that mixed-reality headsets will replace smartphones within the next decade.