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SpongeBob SquarePants Environment Now Available in Paramount+ App on Apple Vision Pro

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Apple Vision Pro users can now explore an immersive SpongeBob SquarePants-themed environment with the Paramount+ app.

Final_SB-Bikini-Bottom-Environment.jpg

The new experience debuts to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the iconic animated series. Upon launching the Paramount+ app on the device, users can select the new environment, which takes them to the familiar setting of Bikini Bottom featuring locations such as SpongeBob's pineapple house, Patrick Star's rock, and Squidward Tentacles' house.

When users start streaming content on Paramount+, the environment adapts. The sun sets in Bikini Bottom, and the screen moves to a position near SpongeBob's house. The character himself appears, sitting down with popcorn.

The update to the Paramount+ app also introduces an interactive game where users can catch jellyfish. By looking at jellyfish and tapping their fingers together, users can catch them with a net that appears on the screen.

Yesterday, Disney+ introduced a new Iceland environment in collaboration with National Geographic, and Apple itself recently added a Lake Vrangla environment, with a Bora Bora option slated for release later in 2024 as part of visionOS 2.

Article Link: SpongeBob SquarePants Environment Now Available in Paramount+ App on Apple Vision Pro
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/08/06/spongebob-environment-available-on-vision-pro/
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Im sure for those who have spent over £3,500 on this device this is just the news they were waiting for.

Come to think if it - not wanting to be even more grumpy that my first sentence eluded to.... but this is a feature for kids, right? Has anyone bought this device for kids to use??
 
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Again, I'm a Vpro enthusiast- not one of the multitude of haters- but I see these kinds of things like new phone colors. Ooooooo, ahhhhhh on first glance (maybe 2nd & 3rd glance too) and then the wow is 100% experienced. IMO- what Vpro needs is an AppleTV+ like allocation of budget, talent & resources to get after content deals such as:
  • NFL-ST-VR
  • NBA-VR
  • MLB-VR
  • NHL-VR
  • NCAA-VR
  • etc (all the sports passionate sports fans love)
AND, if the focus is only entertainment, don't forget the other, non-sports kinds of experiences like:
  • Broadway-VR
  • Cirque-VR
  • Live Concerts-VR
  • Experience the world-VR (VR travel show)
  • Experience the universe-VR (VR astronomy show)
  • etc (all of the other kinds of entertainment fans love)
AND, since this kind of device should not be limited to only being a big 3D TV on our faces, put a good chunk of the budget & resources towards the rest of the "wow" things that can make such a device amazing... things not quite as good on any 2D screen from phone-to-huge TV size.

Yes, new phone colors are exciting/interesting and thus new environments are exciting/interesting for a brief moment of appreciation. But ongoing streams of content and applications are exciting/interesting in an ONGOING way.

It seems Apple is treating this like the "we're serious about games now" push... what I call "build it and they will come." What I think this needs is perhaps just as much investment & focus POST launch as it took to develop it TO launch. A PS5 is an amazing hunk of tech... but if games trickle... it stagnates. It seems Sony appears to be spending HUGE on PS5 game dev long after bringing PS5 to market. What would happen if Apple was spending big on Vpro content & app dev long after bringing Vpro to market?

Else, the alternative shifts so much of the "wow" to third parties and we get a trickle of cool/interesting "environments" from time to time. IMO, that ain't going to do it any more than saying "we're serious about gaming" but then doing nothing more than building some chip features isn't going to bring an avalanche of AAA games.

Com'on Apple: you've made an amazing new kind of thing here. Don't cheap out on the REST of the process. Seed money BUYS big, amazing AAA games for your competitors. Vpro seed money would likely buy some amazing "wow" for Vpro too.
 
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HobeSoundDarryl said:
Again, I'm a Vpro enthusiast- not the multitude of haters- but I see these kinds of things like new phone colors. Ooooooo, ahhhhhh on first glance (maybe 2nd & 3rd glance too) and then the wow is 100% experienced. IMO- what Vpro needs is an AppleTV+ like allocation of budget, talent, resources to get after content deals such as:
  • NFL-ST-VR
  • NBA-VR
  • MLB-VR
  • NHL-VR
  • NCAA-VR
  • etc (all the sports passionate sports fans love)
AND, if the focus is only entertainment, don't forget the other, non-sports kinds of experiences like:
  • Broadway-VR
  • Cirque-VR
  • Live Concerts-VR
  • Experience the world-VR (VR travel show)
  • Experience the universe-VR (VR astronomy show)
  • etc (all of the other kinds of entertainment fans love)
AND, since this kind of device should not be limited to only being a big 3D TV on our faces, put a good chunk of the budget & resources towards the rest of the "wow" things that can make such a device amazing... things not quite as good on any 2D screen from phone-to-huge TV size.

Yes, new phone colors are exciting/interesting and thus new environments are exciting/interesting for a brief moment of appreciation. But ongoing streams of content and applications are exciting/interesting in an ONGOING way.

It seems Apple is treating this like the "we're serious about games now" push... what I call "build it and they will come." What I think this needs is perhaps just as much investment & focus POST launch as it took to develop it TO launch. A PS5 is an amazing hunk of tech... but if games trickle... it stagnates. It seems Sony appears to be spending HUGE on PS5 game dev long after bringing PS5 to market. What would happen if Apple was spending big on Vpro content & app dev long after bringing Vpro to market?

Else, the alternative shifts so much of the "wow" to third parties and we get a trickle of cool/interesting "environments" from time to time. IMO, that ain't going to do it any more than saying "we're serious about gaming" but then doing nothing more than building some chip features isn't going to bring an avalanche of AAA games.

Com'on Apple: you've made an amazing new kind of thing here. Don't cheap out on the REST of the process. Seed money BUYS big, amazing AAA games for your competitors. Vpro seed money would likely buy some amazing "wow" for Vpro too.
Click to expand...
In your opinion, would/should these experiences cost more? For instance, the MLB Friday Night games are included with Apple TV+. Would you expect an AVP version (e.g. with the 3D camera sitting in the dugout) to cost extra? Would it be per game? Or a season pass? I assume concerts or Cirque performances would certainly be Pay Per View arrangements, but assuming less than an actual event ticket? You're doing a good job spending Apple's money, but it's hard for me to imagine these experiences being 'included' in the price of the device. But if you're paying extra for these events, it diminishes the attraction of the AVP. What are your expectations?
 
jz0309 said:
My kids used to watch it growing up, when they were single digit aged… and now this is supposed to appeal to those who can afford to spend $3.5+k?
Paramount, Star Trek would have been a much better choice, just sayin…
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Yes, but it costs less to create an animated environment for Vision Pro than a real life/live action one
 
cfountain72 said:
In your opinion, would/should these experiences cost more? For instance, the MLB Friday Night games are included with Apple TV+. Would you expect an AVP version (e.g. with the 3D camera sitting in the dugout) to cost extra? Would it be per game? Or a season pass? I assume concerts or Cirque performances would certainly be Pay Per View arrangements, but assuming less than an actual event ticket? You're doing a good job spending Apple's money, but it's hard for me to imagine these experiences being 'included' in the price of the device. But if you're paying extra for these events, it diminishes the attraction of the AVP. What are your expectations?
Click to expand...

I don't know. I would not envision it as "included" anymore than existing PPV or things like NFL-ST are "included." But I will offer this...
  • Vpro can easily be positioned as an experience ABOVE watching on television but cheaper than attending a live event.
  • It can already somewhat make it possible for buddies physically far apart to get a so-so sense of being together in the same space... with plenty of room to improve this sense.
  • If those buddies would both love to be at the old alma maters next game but neither can easily actually be there, such an offering could virtually put them there. How much would that be worth to each buddy?
I like live sports in person and Vpro can't compete with that experience in full. On the other hand, great seats at such events can easily be many times the cost for a Vpro for ONE game. Here for example, was the price of courtside seats to ONE local NBA team's game (one game) not so long ago...

full

I'd love to attend and sit in those seats but too rich for my blood. However, if I could virtually sit in those seats, I'd certainly be willing to pay SOMETHING for that... even more so as a VR season pass in those seats.

Would that beat the "being there" experience? Nope... except in cost.

And of course, when there's a group of us TOGETHER, the easy option is to still watch on somebody's big TV together. But if I'm in Chicago and a friend is in LA and we would enjoy virtually attending a Miami game together, I'd certainly be willing to pay up for that... vs. watching on some hotel TV (if I could even get the game) or on a puny phone or MB screen alone.

Similarly, live concerts can cost hundreds of dollars for tickets. Same.

Similarly, a broadway season can costs a few thousand each year. Same. There are tons of people who can't get to Broadway for each show that might be willing to pay to virtually be there.

Etc. Et all.

And only Apple can spend Apple's money. As someone enthusiastic about this dazzling new kind of product, I'd like to see money spent to make it successful. The existing model seems to be waiting for others to make it successful. I don't believe that's working very well.

What's in such thinking for:
  • Vpro owners: a middling experience between watching on TV or devices and in person for lower cost... and perhaps the best way for friends/family spread out geographically to simulate coming together for a game(s).
  • Vendors: a way to sell the SAME "seats" to upwards of many thousands to perhaps eventually millions of bodies (so a volume play at a lower price that can add up to higher revenue than selling 2 seats to 2 bodies). Above example: sell me one seat for one game for $43K. If people could virtually sit in that seat, how many might want to be there for- say- $50 for that game? $43000/$50 = 860 people to break even, 861 Vpro takes would make $50 pricing yield more revenue... and they could still sell that actual seat too... as the VR camera could actually occupy a spot where there are no physical seats... like the TV camera capturing the game already do.
  • Apple: 15%-30% right off the top... and, likely, much more general public interest in purchasing Vpro... just like an event like the Superbowl can sell a lot of big TVs in January, while people still reel from holiday spending.
 
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that's cool.. but why just that. is it that hard for these big corporations to bang out a few environments with different themes. it's weird when they only 1. like all this time with max and its still ONLY the iron throne room
 
I feel like Apple dropped the ball by not allowing paid downloads for this kind of thing to use in the app of your choice. A niche feature in a niche streaming service not that many people have…
 
The adults I know that watch SpongeBob are all potheads.. so this is for them, except they can’t afford anything let alone a Vision Pro. I will say the SpongeBob broadway musical was surprisingly really good although I’ve never seen the cartoon.
 
stocklen said:
Im sure for those who have spent over £3,500 on this device this is just the news they were waiting for.

Come to think if it - not wanting to be even more grumpy that my first sentence eluded to.... but this is a feature for kids, right?
Click to expand...
I found no character in literature, live action tv or movie more relatable to the working class adult than Squidward: cynical, sassy, introverted, hates his job. Al Bundy comes close, but he owns a 3 bed room house in middle class neighborhood and his neighbors aren't as annoying as SpongeBob or Patrick.
 
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Mousse said:
I found no character in literature, live action tv or movie more relatable to the working class adult than Squidward: cynical, sassy, introverted, hates his job. Al Bundy comes close, but he owns a 3 bed room house in middle class neighborhood and his neighbors aren't as annoying as SpongeBob or Patrick.
Click to expand...
im considerably older than 6 years old so forgive me if I dont know any of this.
 
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