Oh, if only that were true, but sadly many people do still see phones as status symbols, it is why so many people are out there shelling out $800 or $900 for a new phone every 1-2 years. They don't need any of the new features those new models offer so badly that a 1 generation upgrade is worth the price, for instance you can play pretty much every mobile game on a 4 year old phone model with pretty high graphics settings, and yet people are still out there upgrading from an iPhone 13 to an iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy S22 to and S23. The only logical explanation for such an upgrade is that they still see phones as status symbols.

Now me on the other hand, I couldn't care less about a Phone as a status symbol. I care about function over form and like to get the best model possible that meets all of my needs. Unfortunately, Phone design has been going down the crapper lately, many of the top phones got rid of physical headphone jacks, iPhones lack an SD card slot so no expandable storage, most modern phones have a unibody design which makes battery replacement a huge pain in the ass compared to the older 2 piece smartphones, most modern phones have gotten too big to use with one hand if you have a smaller hand; the list of issues with modern phones goes on and on.

Apple have a reach other companies does not have. Even if I don't think I will get something like this for a couple of years, I like to see the tech improve.

I feel like most other VR/AR headsets are marketed as toys rather than tools. A fun thing to play around with. While the take here is more as something that can improve productivity. If it can or not is a different question. I think most who buys it will use it as an entertainment product no matter the focus of campaigns for the thing. But because of the focus some people might find it more ok to own this compared to the alternatives, even if they only will use it to play control-free beat saber and watch AR p*rn.

Just because people buy stuff doesn't mean they can afford it. Many live way above their possibilities and struggle hard to even have enough money for good food because of that. There are just too many people who feel ashamed nowadays to buy a phone for maybe 300 bucks even though that would be more in their range or even still too much. 

Same with clothing, where many would never buy shoes or anything from companies which aren't considered "cool".

So yeah, the price of iPhones is low enough to get enough people to buy them but probably half of iPhone users complain every single day how they don't earn enough money to afford stuff which is more important.  

Just too many people don't know how to handle money and have no idea what they even spend per year or month for food, gas or whatever. They just know that "my money isn't enough".

I won't complain though. I hope a lot of people will buy this headset so that Apple will stay in this business which will not only push the industry forward but also pressure other companies to release even better products as they already do. 

Unless they get competition from other companies. Hollow lens should now be made affordable for consumers.

Apple is not just any brand with any followers. Apple is  like a religion, where the followers would throw money at any priced product with an Apple badge.

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I just really don't get the value here. Maybe it's the kind of think you have to use to get it, but I'm not seeing the advantage here besides you can have a big virtual screen which I guess is kind of neat.

It looks cool, but I don't think this sort of thing is going to become the next iPhone until it feels and looks like a pair or stylish sunglasses. Way too bulky to expect people to use it as their daily device. People care too much about personal appearance etc. 

But we're getting there!

What this tech is going to be by version 3/4, when it's lighter, probably even higher resolution, and more refined overall is going to be mind blowing I think.

I find that every time something is posted about Apple in certain parts of the internet, there’s this bizarre cynical circle-jerk bashing Apple, like the company personally threatens them.