TikTok Claims The First Spot

Good morning, folks!

Today, the Apple Vision Pro conversations on social media take a back seat, as all anyone can talk about is OpenAI’s shocking text-to-video model called Sora. The results look unbelievably similar to real life, and it’s definitely cause for concern. However, VR enthusiasts are excited, as it’s going to speed up the creation of virtual worlds, resulting in more immersive apps and VR content.

 — Joel Johnson, Founder & Chief Editor

Headlines for people in a hurry:

• 🥽 Zuckerberg Says $499 Quest 3 Better Than $3499 Vision Pro

• 💃 TikTok Releases Native Apple Vision Pro App

• 💸 Meta Quest Sale: Top Games 60% OFF

• 🧑‍🚀 ISS Astronauts Use VR To Stay In Shape

Read time: 3 minutes

TOP STORIES

META

Zuckerberg Says Quest 3 Is Not Only “Better Value” But Also The “Better Product.”

On Wednesday, Instagram scrollers stopped at a video that looked like an up-and-coming tech reviewer comparing the most popular VR headsets on the market.

Except it was the CEO of the one-trillion-dollar giant, Meta, casually talking smack about the product released by his competitor, the two-trillion-dollar Apple Inc. That’s not something we see every day!

Mark Zuckerberg started by saying that before trying the $3500 Vision Pro, he expected it to be the better product, but Quest would be the better value. However, after trying it out, he believes the $499 Meta's Quest 3 is "the better product, period."

Zuckerberg went on to explain his reasoning, highlighting the Quest 3's precision controllers, immersive content library, and the device's lighter weight and wire-free design as key advantages over the Vision Pro. Despite acknowledging the high resolution of Vision Pro's displays, he noted a motion blur tradeoff. However, he did praise Vision Pro's eye tracking as "really nice."

The response to the video was mixed. On the one hand, Apple fans, along with some long-time Quest users, said that the video was unnecessary. Some even compared it to the Steve Balmer moment when he laughed at the iPhone. However, some also pointed out that, even though Zuckerberg is biased, his points are valid.

TIKTOK

TikTok Becomes First Native Social Media App On Vision Pro

While YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, Instagram, and other giants declined the Vision Pro party invitation, TikTok became the first to take a bite out of the Big Apple.

TikTok has officially launched its native app for the Apple Vision Pro, marking a significant milestone as the first major social media platform to adapt its service for the immersive headset.

The app's interface mirrors the familiar layout of TikTok's iOS and Android versions, featuring a vertically oriented video player with interactive buttons for liking, commenting, favoriting, and sharing.

The parent company, Bytedance, says it’s been able to do a few things differently thanks to Vision Pro’s immersive interface that surpasses the typical smartphone screen ratio, such as making a larger video search window, moving the navigation bar and like button off-screen to optimize for full video viewing, and expanding the comment section and creator profiles on the side of the feed.

SPACE

ISS Astronauts Start Using HTC Vive For Fitness

When HTC said they were shooting for the stars, we didn’t know they meant it literally.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are using HTC’s VIVE Focus 3 VR headset to maintain their physical and mental health in space.

Following the successful deployment of the VIVE Focus 3 for mental health support, the mission has expanded to include physical health routines. The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Andreas Mogensen, the ISS Commander, has been utilizing a FERGO exercise bike alongside a VR experience developed by the Danish Aerospace Company.

This innovative approach aims to combat the challenges of microgravity, which can lead to significant muscle and bone mass loss over time.

NEWS FLASH

META

Quest Sale: 60% Off On Assassin’s Creed, Red Matter 2 & 50+ Games

• 🎮 Meta Quest Store's "Other Worlds" Sale offers discounts on over 50 VR games, including "Assassin's Creed Nexus VR," "Demeo," and "Red Matter 2," running through February 25.

• 🕹️ Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator are coming to Apple Vision Pro, priced at $19.99 and $29.99 respectively, marking significant additions to the platform's game library.

• ✈️ Rokid and Hainan Airlines partner to offer in-flight AR experiences, featuring 3D films on a 360-inch virtual screen for passengers, enhancing in-flight entertainment with immersive technology.

• 🖥️ Meta Quest's UI Overhaul in the works, aiming to improve the management of 2D apps and windows, enhancing user experience and multitasking capabilities.

• 🎥 Felix & Paul Studios secures multi-million dollar funding for its next location-based VR experience, promising an ambitious project set to launch in 2025.

• 🎮 PlayStation VR 2's Top Downloads for January 2024 revealed, with "Beat Saber" reclaiming the top spot, showcasing the platform's popular titles and new entries.

• 🏴‍☠️ The Pirate Queen sets sail on Quest and PC VR on March 7, featuring Lucy Liu as Cheng Shih, offering a narrative adventure game focused on puzzle solving and exploration.

• 🐉 Hyatt Regency Vancouver's AR Experience for Lunar New Year, "Wake Up Sleeping Dragon," brings an AR 3D Dragon to its lobby, enhancing guest experience with immersive storytelling.

• 🚀 ISS Astronauts Using HTC's VIVE Focus 3 to stay in shape, utilizing VR for physical and mental health routines, showcasing the application of immersive technology in space.

• 🎮 VAIL VR 1.0 Launches for Meta Quest and Steam VR on February 15th, offering a competitive multiplayer shooter with a focus on community and skill.

BOOKMARKS

Immersive Articles From The Web

• Vision Pro Has Apps and Quest Has Games, What Can Samsung Bring to XR to Compete?

• Why VR? Twins In Their Fifties Visit Each Other In The Metaverse

• Why Many Vision Pro Buyers Are Returning Their Devices

• How Meta's CTO, Andrew Bosworth, Sees Apple Vision Pro

UNREAL MONEY

FUNDING REPORT

Emmy-Winning XR Studio Gets Major Funding

Felix & Paul Studios, an Emmy Award-winning XR studio, has announced securing multi-million dollar funding for its next location-based VR (LBVR) experience, based on a brand-new IP. The exact figure of the financial backing was not disclosed, but the studio confirmed contributions from Export Development Canada (EDC), The Bank for Canadian Entrepreneurs (BDC), the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), and National Bank of Canada’s Creative Industries Group.

Founded in 2013 by Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël, Felix & Paul Studios has been at the forefront of immersive film production, known for works like the Emmy Award-winning "The Space Explorers" series, "Traveling While Black," "Jurassic World: Blue," and immersive videos for Fox Searchlight’s "Wild" and "Isle of Dogs." The upcoming LBVR experience, set to launch in 2025, is described as the studio's most ambitious project yet, aiming to push the boundaries of immersive entertainment.

COOL PROJECTS

AUGMENTED REALITY

Using AR+ChatGPT For Real-Time Flirting

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Double Standards

Have a great weekend, folks.

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