Vision Pro vs. Google Glass: Is It Time For An Augmented Reality Comeback?

Apple Inc AAPL officially introduced a real-life iteration of spatial computing with its “Vision Pro” VR headset.

The device, priced at $3500 and due to release next year, signals a leap in virtual reality, blurring the lines between physical and digital spaces. 

Though the tech giant’s announcement may leave some wondering — can Alphabet Inc's GOOG GOOGL Google bring back Google Glass?

A decade ago, Google introduced a similar piece of tech in the form of Google Glass, which had the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with our digital worlds. 

Google Glass was an early example of an “augmented reality” device, projecting information and notifications into the user’s field of view. The product failed to resonate with consumers.

Apple’s Vision Pro also features cameras and sensors, yet it’s met with significantly more enthusiasm. Could it stem from the difference in how both products were introduced and how the concept of privacy has evolved over the last decade?

The Vision Pro is Apple’s latest feat of engineering, providing an infinite canvas for apps, allowing interaction in a three-dimensional user interface, and presenting digital content as though it is physically present. 

Vision Pro can transform any space into a personal theater, enhance productivity with infinite screen real estate, and redefine gaming with spatial computing.

However, its features bear a remarkable similarity to what Google Glass promised — a seamless blend of digital and physical worlds, albeit in a less advanced form.

While Google Glass raised significant privacy concerns due to its recording capabilities, the public seems more accepting of Vision Pro’s similar functionalities. 

The failure of Google Glass stemmed from its perceived invasion of privacy, with the ability to record and broadcast personal conversations. The criticism was so severe that Google eventually ceased production and ultimately discontinued it in 2023.

Read also: What Went Wrong With Google Glass Enterprise? Inside Look At The Discontinued AR Project

With Vision Pro in mind, has the cultural perception around privacy evolved? Are we more accepting of cameras and sensors in our personal devices? Or is it the manner in which Apple presented the Vision Pro — as an advanced computing tool rather than a pair of ‘spy glasses’ — that makes all the difference?

For Google, Apple’s Vision Pro might serve as a signal that the market could be ready for a revamped version of Google Glass, given the right design and marketing approach. 

If there has been a shift in cultural perception of privacy, Google Glass’s potential return could benefit from the market shifts.

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