What happened with AR, VR, and its odd offspring, XR? Why aren’t most of us living in the Oasis right now? Some say it’s the price of the hardware, that most of society is not willing to payout more than the cost of a new smartphone for a device they are unsure they will use as often. Others say it’s the design of the hardware, that the combination of weight, complex harnessing moves and the nausea inducing dance with our vestibular systems keep us from embracing full immersion, full time. Yet other claim that the lack of bandwidth, the persistently long latency between the platforms that provide the content and the players on the virtual stage also keep us from doing more than Beat Sabering in our own virtual walled gardens.
Personally, I think it’s a design problem. But not about the hardware, which is getting better and less expensive with every generation, nor about the connectivity, also undergoing similar advances. My belief is that these headsets have been optimized for one person to use, alone physically, even if they are connected virtually. The only way to have a shared experience is if literally everyone else you want to share it with has also taken the blue pill. Sure, it’s fun to watch family and friends stumble around the living room while some of you cluster around a smartphone tether to the headset, crowding to see what in the world your compadre is waving their arms at.
Great platforms are easily shared. The first person to get an iPhone was able to share that experience with everyone around them. Boomboxes were design to share your music with everyone, even your grumpy neighbor that wasn’t hip to your hop. And these were all shareable without the owner/user getting out of the way of what was being shared. You still saw the screen, still heard the music, and could offer support and commentary as others opened their hearts and minds to the experience you are sharing.
Try that with a XR headset and you’ll live the pain of trying to help an elderly relative debug their Wi-Fi router over a landline phone connection. “Tell me what you see?” “Wait, don’t hit that button!” “Okay, let’s just restart from the beginning…” After a heart wrenching dialog where your target XR convert’s aversion to immersive experience skyrockets at the same rate as your frustration, you gently rip the googles from their head so you can see what they are seeing, in that seeming endless dance of debugging the experience.
Until we find a better way to easily share immersive experiences, in all of their awe inspiring glory, I, along with the rest of the market will be waiting for the kaboom.