AI+AR+OLED = Brilliant Frame

Good morning, folks!

It’s been one week since the Apple Vision Pro was released, and there is a newfound excitement in the public’s eye for XR. However, not everything is sunshine and rainbows, as many consumers are using the product in dangerous circumstances.

Headlines for people in a hurry:

• 👓 Brilliant Labs Launches AI Glasses With OLED Display

• 🎥 YouTube Now Says They’ll Launch Vision Pro App

• 📉 Ubisoft Disappointed With Assassin’s Creed VR Sales

• 🤦 People Are Using Vision Pro For All The Wrong Reasons

• 🏈 Google Leading A $20M Investing Round Into NFL VR Game

Read time: 3 minutes

TOP STORIES

AUGMENTED REALITY

‘Frame’ By Brilliant Labs Launched With Multimodal AI Capabilities

The AR x VR convergence is happening right in front of our eyes. After Meta released its RayBan smart glasses, which became a bigger success than they had initially hoped for, more companies have started to enter the space.

The latest contender in the ring is ‘Frame’, a smart glass developed by AI company Brilliant Labs. Frame can recognize objects, translate text, conduct ‘Google Lens ’-like web searches, generate AI images, and more.

The display is a micro OLED “bonded” to a geometric prism in the lens. A camera on the glasses can see what you see and use that information in your queries, while microphones and speakers can also translate conversations.

The product is available for pre-order and costs $349. But before you shell out one-tenth of a Vision Pro’s cost for the Frame, we have to warn you that no physical demos have yet reached any reviewers or journalists. So let’s wait for the product to ship and see what it looks like in real life.

APPLE

Vision Pro: One Week After Release

This week, all anyone could talk about on social media was the Vision Pro. Beginning with long lines at Apple stores on release day to the exciting faces of users trying a VR experience for the first time, here is the rundown on the top Apple Vision Pro news so far:

• People have been seen with the Vision Pro while driving cars, skateboarding across NYC (Casey Neistat), swimming, skiing, flying a plane, and other dangerous activities. Guys, this is NOT what Apple meant by “travel mode.”

• Pete Butigeg, the US Secretary of Transportation, has issued a warning not to wear the Apple Vision Pro while driving after a viral video showed someone wearing one behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.

• Apple announces more than 600 new apps built for Apple Vision Pro.

• With a new update, Apple has vastly improved the quality of its personas.

• Videos of people using Vision Pro for productive tasks like coding, video editing, Lightroom photo editing, 3D Art, and music production, among others, show the device’s productivity capabilities.

YOUTUBE

YouTube Backtracks On Its “No Vision Pro App” Plan After Seeing Public Interest Of AVP

Youtube, who initially said they’re not releasing a dedicated Vision Pro app, is now saying sike, we lied!

This development comes after YouTube, along with Netflix and Spotify, had opted out of making their iPad apps available on the Vision Pro, likely due to ongoing disputes over Apple's platform fees.

However, unlike developers like Spotify, YouTube hosts the largest VR content library in the world. Watching immersive 360 videos is one of the biggest use cases of VR outside gaming and it’s understandable why YouTube’s decision to sit this out was a big deal.

The change in stance was revealed in a conversation with The Verge, where YouTube confirmed that a Vision Pro app is "on our roadmap."

This announcement marks a significant shift in strategy for YouTube, which had previously left users to access its content through the Safari web browser or a third-party client, neither of which supports the platform's extensive 360-degree video content.

NEWS FLASH

META

Disappointed Assassins

• 🎮 Ubisoft is disappointed by "Assassin's Creed Nexus VR" sales, leading to a reevaluation of further VR investments.

• 🎥 Skybox VR enhances Meta Quest with USB support for direct video playback, elevating portable movie experiences.

• 🕹️ SteamVR is developing controller support for Apple Vision Pro, aiming to expand the headset's gaming capabilities.

• 🌑 Among Us VR launches 'Lights Out' mode, introducing a new twist to the game until March 12, 2024.

• 🚀 Vision Pro durability tests reveal great shatter resistance but susceptibility to scratches, urging careful handling.

• 🌐 Victoria VR is developing a metaverse app for Vision Pro with ultra-realistic graphics, aiming to revolutionize VR gaming.

• 🎮 HTC's Vive Ultimate Tracker is now compatible with PC VR headsets and Quest 3, expanding its utility in immersive experiences.

• 🕶️ Wearing Apple Vision Pro with glasses is feasible but poses risks to both the headset and eyewear.

• 📐 Onshape brings 3D CAD design to Apple Vision Pro, offering professionals a new way to work in VR.

BOOKMARKS

Immersive Articles From The Web

• Why WebXR Is The Future—No Need For Building Separate Apps For Different Devices

• AI Founder Explains How Spatial Computing Is Taking Over The World

• Upcoming VR Games 2024: New Releases On Quest, PC VR, PSVR 2 & More

• Using Headsets Like Quest 3 And Vision Pro Could Have Negative Effects, Finds New Field Study.

• Tim Cook Releases A Moving Letter To Employees After Vision Pro Release

UNREAL MONEY

FUNDING REPORT

Google Leads A $20 Million Round Into VR Football

StatusPro, the studio behind the fastest-selling sports title in VR history, NFL Pro Era, has secured a $20 million investment in a Series A funding round led by Google Ventures (GV). This significant investment underscores the game's popularity and the potential for sports in virtual reality. NFL Pro Era has captivated over a million users across all platforms, with players spending an average of 41 minutes per game, more than double the industry average. The game's success has placed it among Meta Quest's top ten titles in terms of sales.

The venture capital will fuel the development of new sports titles and enhancements to modes, features, and underlying technologies. Founded in 2020 in Los Angeles by former football players Troy Jones and Andrew "Hawk" Hawkins, StatusPro aims to leverage emerging technology to innovate fan interaction with sports. The investment from GV and other syndicates, including Dream Sports, Wise Ventures, JDS Sports, and Alumni Ventures, along with celebrity investors like LeBron James, Drake, and Maverick Carter, validates the opportunity to define a new form of engagement that brings fans closer to the game.

COOL PROJECTS

SPATIAL VIDEO

Turning Old Videos Into Spatial

WRAP UP

MEME OF THE DAY

“But I Already Spent My House Budget On The Vision Pro”

Have a great week folks.

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