At a demo hall inside Apple’s headquarters after he unveiled the Vision Pro mixed reality headset in June, CEO Tim Cook smiled for pictures as he stood near the company’s newest product, taking one of 2023’s biggest risks.
Apple kept the Vision Pro mostly out of onlookers’ hands that day. Only in a few private briefings did reporters get a chance to try it out, highlighting the fact that the Vision Pro is still very much a work in progress. (Even now, it’s reportedly undergoing design changes to make it lighter and more comfortable ahead of its official launch next year).
The Vision Pro will be Apple’s riskiest product launch in years, which is why Tim Cook is one of CNN Business’ Risk Takers for 2023. Cook has long talked up the potential for augmented reality to help people communicate and collaborate. Now he will have to prove a device that blends both virtual reality and augmented reality, a technology that overlays virtual images on live video of the real world, is indeed the future of computing. And it won’t be an easy sell: It’s a $3,499 clunky computer you wear on your face.
It’s also Cook’s first new major hardware product in 7 years and only the third in his tenure as CEO since Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died.
Apple’s new Vision Pro virtual reality headset is displayed during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, on June 5.
Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
The headset will come at a time when the extended reality (XR) market – a category that includes augmented, virtual and mixed reality – has plateaued with little mainstream consumer adoption. The Vision Pro will also have limited apps and experiences out of the gate and will be tethered to a battery pack the size of an iPhone.
But Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, said companies like Apple are betting customers will eventually use virtual headsets for just about everything. “Let’s use the medium, but when it earns its keep,” he said. “Betting on VR to be the new smartphone is risky.”
Despite running a company worth $3 trillion, with hundreds of hundreds of billions of dollars of cash on hand, a lot is at stake for Cook. Tech companies don’t typically last for long atop the industry, as exciting and new technology takes the world by storm and ultimately dethrones the leader. (See: HP, IBM, Cisco … and what Apple did to Microsoft).
IPhone sales aren’t surging anymore. Eventually, Cook & Co. will need something to replace it. But skeptics aren’t sure Vision Pro is it: The device is entering an uncertain market while facing design complexities and high costs.
At the same time, the potential is massive. Almost every new Apple product promises to use screens of varying sizes to change how we live. The Vision Pro has the potential to do all of that in an even more striking way, and it could bring new interest to the market in ways similar to what the iPod did for music players or the iPhone for smartphones.
It could also end up being the product that defines Cook’s legacy.
Risk is in Apple’s DNA
If Tim Cook retired today, he would go down as one of the decade’s most successful CEOs. Under his leadership, Apple’s market cap has grown 700%, its iPhone business remains strong, and he has built a robust services business, with music, TV and gaming products, to bring in revenue untied to hardware sales. He also introduced the wildly successful Apple Watch and AirPods.
Cook is best known for his operations expertise, rather than being a product visionary, but in the 12 years leading Apple since co-founder Steve Jobs’ death, he has certainly taken product risks. There have been major missteps under his tenure too, such as the disastrous introduction of Apple Maps, “Batterygate,”allegations of poor labor conditions at its suppliers’ factories and criticism for giving too much deference to the government of China, one of its most important and fastest-growing markets.
But now Cook wants to add to his legacy the one thing he hasn’t done yet that Jobs did routinely: launch a truly breakthrough hardware product.
Tim Bajarin, a longtime Apple analyst and president of consumer tech research firm Creative Strategies, acknowledged taking risks has always been a big part of the company’s ethos. Jobs, for example, famously changed the way the personal computer looked first with the candy-colored iMacs in 1999, and later with the iPod and iPhone. (Cook joined Apple in 1998 as an executive VP for worldwide sales and operations).
“That whole time, Cook was Steve’s right hand man of executing these visions,” Bajarin told CNN. “I think it instilled into him the concept that you are not going to break new grounds unless you innovate.”
In recent years, Apple has embraced a “not first but best” mantra, taking its time to develop new products before rushing them to market. At the company’s 2017 Worldwide Developer Conference, the company laid the foundation for the Vision Pro by launching a framework called ARKit that would let developers build augmented reality into apps. It demonstrated how people could do varying tasks such as placing furniture in their home before making a purchase and put a spotlight on its usage potential inside video games, education – such as allowing students to practice surgeries – and sports, in the years to come.
In many ways, the Vision Pro is better set up for success on day one than previous products, such as the iPod or iPhone, which didn’t have an iTunes Store or App Store, respectively, on launch day.
“They’re coming out the door with already hundreds of thousands of developers who can develop for the Vision Pro from the beginning,” Bajarin said.
But the technology – and demand for it – remain unproven. While Apple has been working behind closed doors on Vision Pro for years, other companies’ headsets have seen only limited uptake, according to Eric Abbruzzese, a director at ABI Research. For example, Meta’s Quest 2 is the most successful headset by “a significant margin” — about 20 million units shipped in its lifetime, he said. In comparison, the iPad line has averaged between 10 million and 15 million shipments each quarter for years. (The Apple Watch does similar numbers).
“Vision Pro is perhaps most comparable to the iPhone launch — competition existed, and Apple knew the first generation was not going to be a smashing success, but the roadmap for the device improving over time and becoming more accessible was the ultimate goal,” Abbruzzese said. “Vision Pro will not shift millions of units, but it has the potential to define the product category (mixed reality headsets) for the market.”
The Apple touch
Although Cook has praised the power of virtual and augmented reality for years – “we are high on AR in the long run,” he said on a 2016 earnings call – he’s also been critical of its execution. Cook previously called virtual reality “really cool” but said last year it’s better for periods of time and “not a way to communicate well.” Apple’s approach with the Vision Pro aims instead to allow users to communicate and be productive while experiencing immersive worlds.
A crowd gathers around the Apple Vision Pro headset as it is displayed in a showroom on the Apple campus in Cupertino on June 5.
Jeff Chiu/AP
A common praise from people (including this reporter) who have tried Vision Pro: It is easy to imagine using Vision Pro for watching movies and TV. Apple will likely get buy-in from Hollywood filmmakers to create experiences just for the headset stemming from the company’s close relationships in the entertainment industry, including with former Apple board member and Disney CEO Bob Iger. (Iger announced during the event that Disney+ will be available on the headset at launch). NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently said it is working closely with Apple to bring a tech-enhanced viewing experience to the Vision Pro, too.
But it was harder to imagine looking at photos, texting or doing a search on Safari while wearing the headset. Bailenson, the founding director of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, believes virtual headsets are a powerful medium but only for certain experiences, and for about 30 minutes at a time. That’s because the human perceptual system gets fatigued due to how different virtual displays are from the real world, he said.
“Through hundreds of studies, we have learned it is best to save VR for experiences that in the real world would be dangerous, impossible, counterproductive or expensive,” Bailenson said.
This includes, for example, training firefighters, rehabilitating stroke victims or practicing difficult conversations in the workplace. “[Not] checking your email, watching movies and general office work… .”
It’s also an issue of user comfortability and aesthetics, no matter how well designed a headset may be. Let’s recall how Oculus founder Palmer Lucky was meme-ified years ago after he wore a headset on the cover of Time magazine; similarly, a picture of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg walking next to a group of people wearing headsets during a tech event was ridiculed for being “dystopian” and “creepy.” As Phillip Shoemaker, a former executive for the Apple App store, put it in a tweet following the Vision Pro announcement. “Nobody looks good wearing a headset. We all look like big nerds.”
Some believed the pitch for the Apple’s headset felt mistimed, too. Earlier in the pandemic, more people might have jumped at the chance to create these virtual experiences while we worked and socialized almost entirely from home. Now, with more employees back in the office and companies looking to cut costs amid broader economic uncertainty, the justification for the pricey device seems less clear.
Video Ad Feedback
How iPhone maker Foxconn plans to become a global EV player
But Abbruzzese argues perhaps the timing might be right on schedule, calling the years of hiring, research development and related acquisitions a “boon” for the company. Still, even with a loyal following and impressive track record on hardware, it may be hard to convince developers, early adopters and some enterprise customers to pay up for the device.
“If Vision Pro does end up defining the mixed reality space, then that would be like the iPhone launch in some ways — not an immediate win, but a multi-year strategy that changed phones forever,” he said.
If it falls short of expectations, it could be spun as an innovative idea the market wasn’t ready for, he added. “There may be a rough quarter or two with shareholders showing their disappointment, but the company has so many more successes in the portfolio that will not last long.”
But Cook would still be without his defining product.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
___
Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
