Happy New Year everyone!
Alright, I'm a bit late saying that. It's also been...several months since I updated. Looks like life got away from me again. I apologize for that. That does not mean my love for 3D has diminished, only that there is not much to speak of in the world of 3D. However, that may be about to change. In a few months, Apple will be unveiling their newest toy to the world: The Apple Vision Pro. For those who are unaware of what it is, well...it's Apple's answer to the Metaverse. Will it be successful? Hard to say. While very few Apple products have failed these past couple of decades, they are still wading into an industry that is being created before our very eyes (one that the public may not exactly be on board to partake in).
Unlike Meta's foray into the business with the Oculus Rift, Apple has been selling the concept of the device as an entertainment device rather than a virtual reality simulator. Not only was Disney+ one of the first things announced for the device, but Apple announced that over 150 movies would be available in 3D for Apple Vision Pro users! Now, this isn't something that everyone is going to get; at $3,499, it is unlikely you will find this item in the homes of anyone but the most hardcore techies (the average person is likely to spend this money on a trip to Disneyland).
So, in many ways, this 3D delivery device is still going to be a niche product. Yet niche products can lead the way to resurgences. What happens if the audience for this device really warms to 3D movies? Would it be difficult for Apple to issue a firmware update and soon Apple TV devices can display 3D (I genuinely have no idea if this is a possibility, but let's pretend for a moment it is)? What if the 3D option becomes popular enough that at least one TV manufacturer decides to reincorporate 3D displays in their sets to appeal to that Apple crowd? "Avatar: The Way of Water" was recently a massive hit in 3D, showing that when done properly audiences will accept it.
While 3D was always a struggle for streaming, the technology has improved to the point where we are now streaming 4K (3D, for the record, takes less bandwidth to stream than 4K does). If Apple can activate 3D streaming for their Apple Vision Pro customers, what's to say they can't do so for their TV consumers? Heck, VUDU has stubbornly refused to stop selling 3D movies (thank God), so they may be ahead of the game as it is. Then there are the glasses-free 3D TVs. Look...they aren't perfect. Personally, if this is the direction they're going, I hope they wait several more years until the technology is seamless. We don't need what happened with the first glasses support 3D TVs to happen again.
Here's the bottom line: Big things come from small beginnings. While we already had a 3D boom, if Apple makes the format popular again who knows what will happen? We've already had a few hit 3D movies recently. That's one small step. Having a new home device to watch these movies is the next. If Apple automatically gives available 3D upgrades to people who own their movies digitally (like they did with 4K), that will be another small step. Take enough small steps and you're eventually walking. Where are we walking to? Who knows, but let us find out together!
