While it's true that Apple's Vision Pro won't be the world's first augmented reality headset when it finally arrives on store shelves, it's fair to say that it will be an important product in the category. Just like there were smartwatches before the Apple Watches and tablets before the iPad — and smartphones before the iPhone, for that matter — it's Apple's entry into a market that tends to give it an air of legitimacy. And it's what makes other companies take a cold, hard look at whether they too should be involved.
That's something that's happening more and more in the world of spatial computing, the buzzy word that's been given to mixed reality, or AR/VR if you prefer. But whatever you call it, spatial reality refers to headsets that combine augmented reality with virtual reality elements to create a new experience the likes of which an iPhone or an iPad simply can't compete. It has the potential to be the next big change in the way we interact with technology and information, and the Vision Pro is Apple's first salvo.
