Following Apple’s recent Worldwide Developers Conference, there has been a lot of chatter about the debut of its AI technology, Apple Intelligence.
And yet, Tim Cook’s first order of business was to discuss the updates to the Apple Vision Pro OS, detailing the opportunities it unlocks for entertainment, productivity and collaboration.
So while Apple’s entry into the AI space is big news – it’s the upgrades to its existing technology that I find most exciting. It was over a decade ago that Meta’s Oculus Rift first launched VR headsets into the public limelight.
With Tech giants like Google and Microsoft quickly following suit, to varying degrees of success. Yet despite the huge potential of VR technology, none of these devices were able to successfully break through the barrier into mainstream adoption.
Enter Apple. A brand that consistently redefines categories by staying true to its founder’s vision of bringing creativity and technology to otherwise painful product experiences.
Steve Jobs wanted Apple’s products to delight everyone that used them – by leaning into existing habits instead of trying to force new ones.
Over the decades we’ve seen this approach succeed in the iconic Mac, iPod & iPhone. Products that weren’t first to market, but that each fundamentally changed their industries.
From computing to music to communication, Apple has shaped the way we consume, connect and operate in our daily lives.
And now with the launch of its Vision Pro headset earlier this year, it’s the entertainment industry that stands to be revolutionised next. With the device’s impressive immersive capabilities ushering us all into a new era of creative storytelling.
For those who have had the chance to play with the Vision Pro, it’s a uniquely thrilling experience that seamlessly blends physical and virtual worlds.
However, out of the 1.5M compatible apps currently available on the device, only 2,000 were specifically designed for its spatial technology, leaving this space wide open for compelling user experiences.
One of the first apps to answer this call came from Gucci.
Of all the brands to show up in the entertainment arena and set a new standard, you wouldn’t expect it to be Gucci over the likes of Netflix, Disney or YouTube.
Yet Gucci’s approach to the Vision Pro was to tell the story of its new creative director, Sabato De Sarno, with an interactive documentary that’s never been seen before.
I won’t spoil the story (definitely watch it if you can). But I will comment on the unparalleled level of interactivity and cross dimensional storytelling Gucci is able to subtly weave in and out of the experience.
There’s moments when you feel teleported to different scenes across Milan that make you feel like you’re actually there, and others when you can pick up products and inspect them with such detail they almost feel real.
In leveraging Vision Pro’s capabilities, brands can tell uniquely compelling stories that transform their products from items into meaningful consumer experiences. Gucci’s app empowers audiences to step out of the passenger seat and into the role of main character, bringing them closer to the action than ever before.
And I can’t help but see the possibilities for a new format of brand entertainment, that will carry to sport, movies, gaming and so much more, especially when you consider this is the worst version of the Vision Pro we’ll see. It’s only going to get better.
Over the last few months at Tactical, we’ve been lucky to build some amazing stories and experiences for brands looking to engage and entertain their audiences using the Vision Pro.
From tourism to luxury to sport, we’re developing branded experiences that extend beyond the traditional formats people have become used to.
And the results we’ve seen are magical. It’s not often you get to watch someone try something for the first time and say ‘wow’. But with the Vision Pro, it’s been a hit time and again.
By Mike Khouri, CEO and Founder of Tactical
