Quest 3 vs AVP, Project Nazare, & New AR Ad Spots from Snap

XR Headsets

Choose Your Fighter: Meta v. Apple

AVP Misses Mark, Quest 3 Right on Target: We all saw the internet blow up over Zuck’s glow up a few weeks back, but is Meta itself enjoying the same glamorous spotlight? The company’s stock took an 11% hit the last week of April, its steepest decline since 2022 with a $132.2 billion loss in market capitalization.

But don’t be too quick to declare this Goliath down for the count, the Meta Quest 3, launched in Q4 of 2023, led to Meta’s highest ever quarterly revenue and continues to perform incredibly well among consumers. Meta may have some short term losses, but they’re playing the long game when it comes to MR.

On the other hand, Apple's stock has dipped 14% so far in 2024, and their latest brainchild, the Apple Vision Pro, has fallen flat among everyday consumers. The company has cut sales projections in half, now anticipating that only 400,000 headsets will be sold internationally in 2024, down from original forecasts of 800,000 headsets sold. Yikes!

Some are arguing that Apple has locked themselves out of the AR/VR industry for good, especially in the wake of Meta announcing an open source operating system, while others believe the lack of interest in the AVP is indicative of a more widespread call to move away from bulky headsets in general.

Still, the techies of the world can’t get over the insane leaps and bounds in object permanence, field of view, and resolution that the AVP demonstrates; and we’re willing to bet that this V1 release is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ol’ Tim’s master plan.

TL;DR: Meta made a major play by announcing an open source operating system, building on the momentum of the recent surge in Meta Quest 3 sales. Meanwhile the Vision Pro is failing to live up to the hype and critics believe Apple’s future in XR is dim.

Morning Brew Chimes in

Smart Glasses

Bringing Sexy Back

Lightweight Glasses Fast Approaching: The AVP may be underperforming in the market, but we all know that Apple is the king of sleek and sexy tech design. As consumer preference moves towards implementing AR into daily life, clunky headsets are becoming less practical and less desirable, creating a need for lightweight devices.

Apple may be the reigning champ for clean and simple, but Meta is ahead of the game when it comes to XR hardware, demonstrated by its impressive Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Meta continues to spearhead the industry, working diligently behind the scenes on “Project Nazare”, AR glasses that allow you to actually look at the real world (rather than video passthrough) and overlaid digital content. Needless to say, the AR/VR industry has been holding its breath for glasses like these.

Though the ultra lightweight headsets are still a few years out, this level of seamless integration between the digital and physical will completely change the way we live day-to-day.

Who do you think will be the first to truly augment reality? Share your insights in our LinkedIn group linked at the bottom of this email!

Snapchat AR Ads

Better Engagement in a Snap

Snap announced in their quarterly report that they are releasing a new AR ad placement. Businesses can promote their services or products to users through custom filters and interactive experiences, like gamified advertisements or virtual try ons.

The best part? The new ad placements are completely affordable and no outside AR production is required, meaning businesses of all sizes can participate in this new wave of marketing. This Snap launch might be your opportunity to (finally) find relevant advertising that won’t break the bank!

Our two cents — businesses that create filters for virality will perform best for this medium. Get ahead of the game and act on this new ad opportunity now!

Quick Bytes

From Miles Davis to the Multiverse

• Marvel Is Making An Hour-Long ‘What If’ Mixed Reality Experience for the Apple Vision Pro. Tickets to the Multiverse are just $3500. We think that’s a steal for inter-dimensional travel.

• Watch Legendary Blues Artists. A VR experience that brings the coolest cats in jazz to life.

• 8 in 1 charger just released by Anker. Just wow.