Spatial Computing and the Evolution of the Metaverse: Apple Vision Pro and Beyond

Introduction: Escape from the square prison called the monitor

For the past 40 years, we have been consuming the digital world trapped in the square ‘flat displays’ of computers and smartphones. However, in early 2024, Apple launched its first mixed reality (MR) headset, 'Vision Pro', ushering in the era of Spatial Computing, which breaks the limitations of the flat surface and uses physical space itself as a canvas.

The 'Metaverse', which was once treated as an excessive marketing term and the bubble burst, is now permeating our lives in a much more realistic and practical form called 'spatial computing'. In this article, we look at the core concepts of spatial computing and how they will change the way we work and play.

1. Pragmatism beyond the metaverse, what is spatial computing?

While the metaverse of the past had a strong gaming element in which my avatar played by accessing a 'virtual world (VR)' made primarily of graphics, spatial computing focuses on mixing (MR, Mixed Reality)** by seamlessly overlaying digital information and objects on the **'real-life physical space (room, office)' in which I live.

• Interface revolution: Instead of a mouse or touch screen, the user's 'Eye Tracking', 'Finger Gestures (Hand Tracking)', and 'Voice' become the new mouse and keyboard. Intuitive interactions such as making selections by simply looking at the app window floating in the air and scrolling by snapping your finger are possible.
• Infinite Canvas: The physical limitations of a 13-inch laptop monitor or 27-inch dual monitor disappear. Multitask by filling your entire room with dozens of giant virtual screens, or instantly transform your living room wall into a 100-inch 4K movie theater.

2. 3 lifestyle changes that spatial computing will bring

① Innovation in the way we work (Spatial Workspace)

The market into which spatial computing will first penetrate is the ‘business environment (B2B).’

• Infinite Virtual Office: Create your own perfect dual-monitor office by simply wearing a headset, even on a train on a business trip or in a small cafe. You can place Excel windows, web browsers, and Slack messengers throughout the space and work in a highly immersive state.
• Three-dimensional collaboration and design: 3D modeling designers and medical staff no longer have to pass around 3D drawings on a flat monitor. You can float a life-size car engine or 3D model of a human organ on your desk, and interact and collaborate with colleagues in real time.

② A new horizon of immersive entertainment

• Watching sports/performances as if you were there: When you watch a basketball game or concert filmed in spatial video format, you can feel the tremendous three-dimensional effect and realism of the players as if they are playing in front of your eyes.
• Spatialization of Memories: Beyond simply flipping through photos, you can record your child's first steps as a 3D spatial video and later relive them as vividly as if you had returned to that time and place.

③ Edtech and simulation education

• Safety training in dangerous industrial sites (construction, factories), pilot flight training that requires handling expensive equipment, and precise surgical simulations can be practiced infinitely in a virtual space without physical risk or cost, dramatically increasing the quality of training.

3. Remaining tasks: Still heavy and expensive

Apple Vision Pro's overwhelming hardware performance and eye-tracking technology are enough to impress, but there are still many obstacles to overcome before spatial computing becomes as popular as smartphones.

• Form factor limitations (weight and fit): No matter how good the technology is, wearing heavy ski goggles on your face for more than an hour is extremely uncomfortable. Battery time is also short at just over 2 hours. Only when this form factor gradually evolves into a lightweight 'normal glasses' form will true popularization be possible.
• Lack of killer content: The hardware is ready, but there is still a lack of an ecosystem of essential apps (Killer Apps) that can be enjoyed every day while wearing the headset. Even Netflix and YouTube are showing a lukewarm attitude toward supporting dedicated apps.
• High price barrier: Devices costing millions of won are too high to be accessible to the average consumer. Fierce ecosystem competition is expected with devices targeting the low-end market, such as Meta's Quest 3.

Conclusion: Early days of paradigm shift, prepare for the future

When the first iPhone was released in 2007, it was widely criticized for not having an on-screen keyboard. But ultimately, smartphones have completely changed human life. Current spatial computing devices are also criticized for being large, heavy, and expensive, but this is a natural transition experienced by first-generation devices.

A future in which digital information moves beyond square screens and merges as naturally as the air around us has already become an inevitable trend. It is time for developers, planners, and creators to pay attention to this change in interface (UI/UX) from flat to spatial and think deeply about what opportunities they can seize in the future digital content ecosystem.