Gurman: FaceTime for Apple AR/VR Headset Could Rely on Memojis and SharePlay

[Abazigal]

Worth a read.

Above Avalon: Apple’s Big Bet on Memoji

One takeaway from this year’s WWDC had nothing to do with what was announced on the virtual stage. Instead, it was found in the (virtual) audience. Apple kicked off this year's WWDC keynote with a surprising twist: Tim Cook walked out on stage inside Steve Jobs Theater to an auditorium filled with

www.aboveavalon.com

Mixed reality will introduce the idea of sharing real-world experiences with others via a digital space. Examples include “attending” everything from live sports events and awards shows to theatrical plays from the comfort of one’s home. Given the right camera technology, any real-world event will likely one day be able to be consumed in mixed reality. Instead of these live events occurring in a digital world with a vibe similar to that of a video game like The Sims or Fortnite, the user will feel like they are actually attending the event seated in the front row at Madison Square Garden or the Staples Center.

Given how live events are all about communal experiences with friends and family, mixed reality has to be able to replicate shared experiences. This will require a method of representing oneself to others while “attending” the live event via mixed reality. Instead of using odd-looking avatars or actual portraits of ourselves that have been animated to appear life-like, Memoji is Apple’s answer for that digital representation.

By pushing Memoji now, prior to actually selling mixed reality devices to the public, Apple is looking to remove whatever awkwardness may be found with creating and using a digital representation of ourselves. Higher Memoji adoption will then make it easier for people to embrace mixed reality when it is time. Strong adoption for mixed reality would then help Apple’s efforts to develop a platform developers can use to rethink our communication and social activities.

 

[robertosh]

You will see expressions in a higher quality Memoji. FaceTime with many users can be annoying. Staring at a bunch of people on a flat screen for FaceTime...compared to being in a 3D virtual world with these same people.

Well, if it is a 3D virtual world, people can be closer or far… so expressions of far people will be difficult to see… on a flat screen is not as fun but at least you see everyone better. Maybe for game lobbies, or friend gatherings would work, but for conferences it will be a mess imho.

 

[wanha]

We can’t. But this could be another HomePod all over again. A lot more expensive than whatever currently is in use, better in some technical details while being harder to use with other people, and without software to generate excitement by early adopters. At this price point it needs a LOT of excitement to get average people to buy it. In short, what market need are they trying to fill? And why do I need Apple's solution instead of the devices already for sale, which haven’t been selling all that quickly or generating a lot of interest? I can see why I would want to use this if I don’t want who I am talking to to see my face bely my words but I don’t want them to have the same advantage when it comes to lying.

Sure, this could be another HomePod. Or it could be another iPhone.

My entire point is that we are arguing over something that has 0 - ZERO - concrete facts about anything.

We don't know what the product will look like, what it does, or how much it will cost, and yet here we are arguing whether it's great product or a dumb idea lol

 

[Le0M]

So software is going to fill in CHUNKS of missing facial data, got it. ?

That's right.

 

[EdT]

Sure, this could be another HomePod. Or it could be another iPhone.

My entire point is that we are arguing over something that has 0 - ZERO - concrete facts about anything.

We don't know what the product will look like, what it does, or how much it will cost, and yet here we are arguing whether it's great product or a dumb idea lol

They announced the HomePods release date before they announced ANY of the details. And when they announced it at first it wasn’t capable of stereo, it wouldn’t work with anything except Apple streaming or your local iTunes app, it still used MP3 format for music, instead of ALAC or FLAC which are both CD quality, and it relied heavily on Siri for control which has a bad reputation even if objectively it’s not very different from Alexa or Google now. It was a technically impressive piece of engineering that wasn’t adaptable and was a lot more expensive than it’s perceived competitors.

There are already AR/VR googles available. They are not wildly popular but they do have a dedicated core of users. And they are a lot cheaper than Apple, and they work with gaming systems that Apple probably won’t work with, unless Apple has changed their philosophy about working with gaming developers.

Is gaming the only possible use for AR/VR? No. Is it the 800lb. Gorilla in the VR room? Yes.

 

[MacAddict1978]

Well, the furry fetish people will be lined up to buy this...

 

[wanha]

They announced the HomePods release date before they announced ANY of the details. And when they announced it at first it wasn’t capable of stereo, it wouldn’t work with anything except Apple streaming or your local iTunes app, it still used MP3 format for music, instead of ALAC or FLAC which are both CD quality, and it relied heavily on Siri for control which has a bad reputation even if objectively it’s not very different from Alexa or Google now. It was a technically impressive piece of engineering that wasn’t adaptable and was a lot more expensive than it’s perceived competitors.

There are already AR/VR googles available. They are not wildly popular but they do have a dedicated core of users. And they are a lot cheaper than Apple, and they work with gaming systems that Apple probably won’t work with, unless Apple has changed their philosophy about working with gaming developers.

Is gaming the only possible use for AR/VR? No. Is it the 800lb. Gorilla in the VR room? Yes.

... based on what we know ?‍♂️

 

[Mike WA4D]

Gurman: I imagine a virtual reality version of FaceTime where you can be in a conference room with dozens of people. Instead of seeing their actual faces, you'll see 3D versions of them (Memojis).

Why would you want to use Memojis in a professional meeting or in front of dozen of people?

Who wants this? Why? What for? So many questions. Just strange.

Think of this period as the “Compuserve” (Pre-WWW era). It’s not strange. It’s developers trying to find their way. I’m thinking that the Metaverse future will be ever organic with new iterations emerging frequently. Not all (even most?) will not be successful. It’s exciting to me to see these ideas bubble up.

 

[code-m]

That's right.

That is the opposite of secure.

 

[Le0M]

That is the opposite of secure.

We were talking about the feasibility of creating a "me-looking" realtime avatar.
If you wanna talk about safety, then let me remind that Face ID now works with masks on, which means basically it reads the top part of the face only.

 

[code-m]

We were talking about the feasibility of creating a "me-looking" realtime avatar.
If you wanna talk about safety, then let me remind that Face ID now works with masks on, which means basically it reads the top part of the face only.

Security is being compromised with the Mask FaceID implementation and Apple and people are fine with this, go figure if security is compromised then there goes privacy too.

Time to change that marketing material Tim.