The term “Metaverse” has its origins in Neal Stephenson’s 1992 novel Snow Crash, in which it depicted a virtual realm that offered characters an escape from reality. Stephenson’s visionary concept of the Metaverse has since moved from fiction to (virtual) reality over the past decade. Augmented and virtual reality technologies have advanced the concept of the Metaverse, which is now able to manipulate the real world and immerse users in digital experiences.
This year marked Apple’s long-awaited debut in this dynamic technology with the launch of Apple Vision Pro. Apple calls its brand of AR and VR metaverse technology “spatial computing,” which “seamlessly combines digital content with the physical world,” using hand and eye tracking for a fluid digital experience. The technology, which carries a hefty price tag of $3,499, hasn’t been enough to deter Apple enthusiasts, with analysts suggesting initial sales are between 160,000 and 200,000 units.
The price tag has contributed to mixed reviews of the Apple Vision Pro, which has been praised as “the best consumer headset anyone has ever made,” but also as “very expensive” and “inconsistent.” Although the headset is seen as a technological breakthrough, the technology’s performance assumes one thing: that the network connecting the headset to the Internet is reliable and high-performance.
If we want Apple’s Vision Pro and other similar devices to reach mainstream use, our foundational networks must ensure ultra-fast, low-latency connectivity. This is essential to accommodate the significant increase in traffic and deliver seamless immersive experiences.
International CTO, Ciena.
Dependence on connectivity
As Analysys Mason notes, “At its core, a Vision Pro could be used without an internet connection for games, content and experiences on the device, but its primary use is for connected applications.” Using it without connectivity is like using a phone and the applications on it without being connected to the internet.
The Apple Vision Pro is designed for use in a ‘controlled environment’, so preferably at home, but there are already examples of people using it outdoors. Apple Vision features like spatial video and spatial video recording, immersive FaceTime, and HD video playback all require powerful Wi-Fi connectivity – which requires fast speeds, a low-latency, high-bandwidth Internet connection, which can only be delivered via fiber optic broadband. Some AR and VR applications may require broadband speeds of 400 Mbps.
However, approximately 44% of households in the US, where the Vision Pro was first launched, do not have access to fiber connectivity. This would likely render this technology useless for this large segment of the population. Currently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires consumers to have access to minimum actual download speeds of 25 Mbps and minimum actual upload speeds of 3 Mbps. However, this level of home network performance does not meet the demands of an immersive VR environment, especially when other devices are in use at the same time.
By comparison, broadband speeds of 10Gbps are more widely accessible in the APAC region, with fiber broadband accounts representing 85% of all residential fixed broadband subscriptions. This could increase the headset’s appeal to consumers in countries such as China, India and Korea. However, as of now, there is only speculation about the product’s launch timeline in these markets.
There are ongoing discussions about revising the definition of minimum broadband speeds to 100 Mbps. Nevertheless, researchers estimate that achieving the ultimate immersive media experience may require anywhere from two to five Gbps, indicating that even this proposed increase may not be enough.
Connectivity for the future
CSPs are aware that they must meet the demands of end users who use technology that requires high-performance Internet. They are working to meet these demands, investing to make their networks faster and smarter, and bringing processing closer to the end user.
At the network level, CSPs are beginning to adopt technology such as 25G Passive Optical Network (PON) technology that can deliver network speeds of 25 gigabits per second (Gbps) to buildings. In metro and long-distance fiber optic networks – which connect data centers across or between countries – they are using the introduction of technology that moves 1.6 terabits per second per wavelength. Networks using this technology are built for the future, can handle massive amounts of traffic, and support gigabit speeds and low latency.
Finally, as we see demand for ‘spatial technology’ like the Apple Vision Pro grow beyond the confines of home use, 5G connectivity for these devices will become a necessity. Apple’s headset is currently connected to Wi-Fi, but to use AR in the wild, only 5G can deliver the high speeds required. 5G Standalone (SA) in particular could become increasingly important here due to its highly reliable, low-latency connectivity. Providing such a seamless, immersive experience on the go could be a key driver of 5G SA adoption, which is currently in greater demand for business and industrial applications than for consumers.
The Apple Vision Pro is an exciting, well, vision of what the future could hold for AR and VR metaverse technology. Its commercial launch is an interesting test not only of how ready and willing consumers are for these immersive (and currently expensive) experiences, but also of how willing networks are to deliver them. The hardware will improve over time, but the networks they depend on will have to keep up too, or Apple’s vision could quickly falter.
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