Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, is intensifying the conflict with Apple as the competition to establish supremacy in the upcoming era of computing intensifies.
In a video shared on Instagram on February 14, Zuckerberg emphasized that each era of computing has witnessed the existence of both an open model and a closed model.
“While Apple’s closed model emerged victorious in the mobile realm, Microsoft’s open model triumphed during the personal computing (PC) era. In this forthcoming generation, Meta aims to embody the open model, and I am determined to ensure its triumph once more,” he stated.
Zuckerberg made these comments following the launch of Apple’s inaugural mixed reality headset, Vision Pro, in June of the previous year, as a direct competitor to Meta’s Quest headsets, which are significantly more affordable.
Throughout the years, the corporation has invested billions of dollars into its metaverse aspirations, going so far as to rebrand from Facebook to Meta, solidifying its position as a dominant force in shaping this emerging technology. The Quest headsets play a crucial role in realizing this grand vision.
Meta’s core advertising business has encountered a substantial setback in recent years, primarily due to Apple’s iOS privacy changes, which have made it more challenging to provide targeted advertising. As a result, this move has now become crucial for Meta.
In recent times, Meta and Apple have encountered conflicts on multiple fronts, such as app store regulations and safeguarding consumer privacy. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, recently expressed his disapproval of Apple’s proposed App Store policies, which aim to align with the forthcoming Digital Markets Act of the European Union (EU). He characterized these regulations as excessively burdensome and contradictory to the EU’s intended purpose, expressing doubt that any developer would willingly embrace them.
(Meta Quest 3 vs Apple Vision Pro)
The recently released Apple Vision Pro headset has garnered mixed reviews since its availability at Apple Store locations in the United States earlier this month. One of the primary criticisms revolves around its steep price tag of $3,499, especially when compared to Meta’s Quest 3 headset, which costs a mere $500.
During a video clip, Zuckerberg expressed his initial belief that the Quest headsets would provide better value for most users due to their significantly lower price point, being seven times less expensive. However, after personally using the Vision Pro, he not only considers the Quest to be the better value but also deems it as the superior product overall. This sentiment was captured in the video, which was filmed in his living room using the Quest 3’s video passthrough system.
Zuckerberg emphasized that various companies adopt distinct design approaches for their headsets, each with its own unique advantages. However, he asserted that when considering the multitude of applications for mixed reality, the Quest headset surpasses others in overall performance. Mixed reality, an immersive technology that seamlessly integrates virtual objects with the user’s physical environment, offers a truly captivating experience.
Zuckerberg expressed his astonishment at the compromises Apple had to make in terms of device quality, comfort, ergonomics, and other display aspects in order to achieve a higher resolution for their screen.
‘Quest is the better product’
According to Zuckerberg, the Quest 3 is lighter by 120 grams, providing enhanced comfort for extended periods of wear. Additionally, its lack of a wired battery pack and wider field of view make it more suitable for activities involving movement, gaming, exercising, socializing, and more. He also mentioned that Quest offers a vast collection of immersive content, as they have collaborated with studios to develop virtual and mixed reality games and other forms of entertainment. Furthermore, if you wish to enjoy watching YouTube or playing Xbox on a large screen while on the move, this feature is currently exclusive to the Quest.
Earlier this month, Apple announced that Apple Vision Pro has seen the development of more than 600 apps and games. However, notable companies such as Spotify and Netflix have not yet created native apps for the headset or expressed any intentions to make their iPad apps compatible. Similarly, YouTube has not developed a native app or made its iPad app compatible at this time, although the company has mentioned that a Vision Pro app is in the works.
On the other hand, Meta claims to have a collection of over 1,000 apps in its Quest app store. In September of last year, Meta reported generating revenue of over $2 billion from the sale of games and apps on the Quest Store.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, Meta’s Reality Labs division, responsible for the development of augmented and virtual reality, achieved a significant milestone by surpassing $1 billion in revenue. This remarkable achievement was primarily fueled by the robust sales of their headsets during the holiday season. However, the division’s expenses for the same period skyrocketed to $5.7 billion, resulting in an operating loss of $4.6 billion.
Furthermore, in a recent announcement, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, shared his ambitious vision of creating artificial general intelligence. This advanced form of artificial intelligence aims to enable machines to learn and perform tasks similar to humans. Notably, Zuckerberg also expressed his intention to make this technology open-source, allowing people from all around the globe to benefit from its potential.