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Apple recently launched its next gen product called Apple Vision Pro its first major hardware launch after almost a decade after iPad/iPhone priced just at $3499,before talking on its value for money angle and long term impact lets go back a bit to few decades, In 1984 when the first mobile phone was launched it was priced at around $4000 ( Inflation adjusted around $11500 in 2023) qualities of that phone were 30 minute talk time after a charging time of 10 hours and weight just 790 grams equal to a brick hence called the Brick Phone today a decent smart phone can come at 1/100 price of it with 1/10 weight of it and the world we live is too different then 3 decades ago exactly as predicted in Moore’s law (the principle that the speed and capability of computers can be expected to double every two years, as a result of increases in the number of transistors a microchip can contain).
What this Augmented Reality or Mixed Reality based devices can do for its users is almost like a technology experience of tomorrow in todays world if entertainment is the only criteria it gives an edge over all other products, societies which are not on utility principles based it can be a good status symbol to have this VR headset as its high price will certainly keep it exclusive in few hands until the Moore’s law catch up and make it affordable for the masses like markets of emerging economy but the biggest impact which this product or any other similar product which will eventually come to the market in next few decades can be first on education where students irrespective of location or rural or urban location in 5G world will be able to do interactive experiment based learning. In Mental Health Space these products will be double edge swords with the offering they have whether they will increase the narcissism of mankind or soothe them in difficult time will depend on the way masses will embrace these devices. The only risk it offers is Isolation of an Individual from the reality while all companies will focus on the connection and inclusion potential of these devices. Over a period of time with ChatGPT and bot based conversation between mankind and bots its going to be more difficult if the interactions happening between two parties is real or mixed real and this could even mean a potential of end of Democracy as Yuval Noval Harari has mentioned recently or shown few years ago in the movie Ready Player One by Steven Spielberg How mankind can be under a threat if Mixed Reality becomes too much Real for the Reality to exist. Well no one knows the future but certainly time has come for governments to start looking at the screen time rational which each individual and more specifically kids should devote time on gadgets, some countries like China have already made laws in this regard but some liberal countries have left it at free will of the individual.
On One hand we have ample reasons to celebrate on these new tech milestones and utilize its potential just like the famous song of Raj Kapoor says:
Kehta Hai Joker
Sara Jamana,
Aadhi Hakikat
Aadha Fasana,
Chashma utaro
Phir Dekho yaaro,
Duniya Nayi Hai
Chehra Purana
On the Other hand we have to realize before its too late for any face to be recognizable behind the virtual reality and instant gratification game, the right choice with free will can take us towards that point.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.