Apple Vision Pro Sold Out Immediately

Good morning, folks!

When Brazilian AR artist and VR streamer Fabian Orsi logged in for his typical game of "Population One" yesterday, he entered a room with an unexpected surprise—a birthday party that his VR friends had thrown for him.

It’s a reminder that just because you’re in a virtual world doesn’t mean the friends you make aren’t real.

Headlines for people in a hurry:

• 🥽 Estimates Say Vision Pro Sold 160-180K Units In 3 Days

• 🏰 Disney Working On VR Treadmill For Multiple Users

• ✋ Meta Wants To Replace VR Hands With Photorealistic Ones

• 🏋🏻 Vision Pro Weighs 650 Grams & Comes In A Huge Box

Read time: 3 minutes

TOP STORIES

APPLE

Apple Vision Pro Sold Out Immediately, But…

Pre-orders for Apple's Vision Pro began on Friday, and supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that Apple sold between 160,000 to 180,000 headsets over the weekend. As per my calculations, even on the low end, Apple made a whopping $560 million in just one weekend. That’s crazy for an untested, first-generation product.

Kuo had previously estimated that Apple had 60,000 to 80,000 units available for the launch, which sold out shortly after. The remaining Vision Pros are not expected to be delivered until five to seven weeks later.

So hooray! Well done, guys! VR is saved now, right? Well, not exactly. Kuo highlights a potential concern: despite the immediate sell-out, the demand did not sustain a steady increase. The unchanged shipping times 48 hours after pre-orders opened suggest that the demand may have quickly tapered off after the initial surge from core fans and heavy users.

Kuo compares this pattern to popular iPhone models, which typically see a steady increase in shipping times after an immediate sell-out, indicating continuous demand growth. In contrast, Vision Pro's demand seems to have plateaued.

This analysis suggests that while Vision Pro's initial sales were strong, its future market performance and sustained demand remain uncertain. The headset's niche appeal, indicated by the small percentage of Apple's massive user base needed to sell out, raises questions about its broader market impact.

DISNEY

Disney Holotile: The Best Implementation Of A VR Treadmill Yet?

Running away from zombies is about to get scarier as Disney developed a groundbreaking technology called HoloTile, described as “the world’s first multi-person, omnidirectional, modular, expandable treadmill floor.” This innovative sliding floor allows multiple users to move in all directions simultaneously. You definitely need to see how it works in this video.

HoloTile enables users to walk in any direction without physically moving from their spot or colliding with the real world. Disney engineer and inventor Lanny Smoot demonstrated the technology, showcasing its potential for collaborative virtual experiences and theatrical stages. The technology allows dancers to perform complex moves and offers applications for sightseeing and other immersive activities.

While Disney hasn't revealed specific technical details about HoloTile, the invention addresses the challenge of locomotion in VR. Traditional VR movement methods often need you to be attached to a pole and will take some time to set up. Plus, they might lead to physical obstacles or motion sickness. HoloTile's support for multiple users and its sleek design, albeit noisy, represent an intriguing new approach to VR technology.

META

No More Virtual Hands. Meta Is Handing You The Real One

Tired of seeing your virtual hands and going through an existential crisis every time you enter VR? Thankfully, Meta's Codec Avatars Lab and Nanyang Technological University have presented a new research paper on URHand, the first universal relightable hand model that generalizes across viewpoints, poses, illuminations, and identities. This model can be adapted to a user's individual hands, allowing for realistic illumination and personalization in VR.

One of the most notable aspects of this research is the ability to adapt the hand model to the user's hands using a series of smartphone pictures. This innovation could potentially enable users to bring their own hands into VR using simple means, marking a significant technological advancement. While it's currently unclear when this research will be integrated into products, the development is a major step towards achieving photorealistic telepresence in VR.

Meta has been researching Codec Avatars for many years, aiming to achieve photorealistic avatars for standalone headsets. A realistic VR alter ego includes not only the head and face but also the rest of the body, the physical behavior of clothes, and detailed personalized hands. Hands are particularly important in VR as users strongly identify with them. The URHand model addresses the challenge of creating hands in VR that closely resemble the user's own, enhancing the sense of presence and realism.

NEWS FLASH

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Interpol Takes Crimes In VR Seriously

• 🏰 Aiden Wolf, a popular AR game developer, has opened a 13,000 sq. ft. Creator Campus for learning and building immersive tech.

• 🚔 INTERPOL has released a report on how to police crimes in the Metaverse.

• 💰 Apple Vision Pro reports say that it weighs between 600-650 grams and comes in a huge box.

• 🎮 Meta Quest 3 sale offers up to 45% off on a variety of VR games.

• 🌐 Nimo Planet partners with Rokid to boost spatial productivity with new AR technologies.

• 🕹️ Palworld is now playable in VR, thanks to Praydog's universal VR mod.

• 🇪🇺 The European Parliament discusses ways to enforce EU values in the Metaverse.

• 🧤 HEXR Glove by Microtube Technologies introduces untethered XR haptics.

• 🎵 Soundscape gets a major update with Unreal Engine 5, enhancing its VR music platform.

• 📸 Canon showcases new lens and camera innovations for 3D and VR content creation at CES 2024.

• 🩺 CAE Healthcare and GigXR partner up to enhance clinical simulation training in healthcare.

BOOKMARKS

Immersive Articles From The Web

• The List of ALL 200 Native Vision Pro Apps Available On Launch

• Why VR/AR Companies Hit the Seed Stage Problem (By A VC)

• Smart Glasses Without Displays Are Surprisingly Useful

• How To Try PSVR Games For Free With PS Plus

UNREAL MONEY

FUNDING REPORT

$40 Raised For AR Contact Lenses

Xpanceo, a promising AR startup, has secured a significant $40 million investment to focus on developing smart contact lenses.

This substantial funding comes from Opportunity Ventures in Hong Kong, underscoring the startup's ambitious vision to integrate technology seamlessly into daily life.

Founded in 2021 and based in Dubai, Xpanceo aims to revolutionize computing devices by creating smart contact lenses using advanced materials and optoelectronics. The startup's goal is to converge various gadgets into a single, infinitely scalable device, enhancing user experience and functionality.

COOL PROJECTS

FORMULA ONE

This Is A Killer App Idea For The Vision Pro

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