Here’s How the Future of Disney Will Look
Have you ever wondered what the future of Disney entertainment will look like?
Well, if Apple CEO Tim Cook is right, he just showed the world how it will interact with Disney content from now on.
Image: Disney
Don’t you dare call this the metaverse, though! People hate that word!
Instead, we should talk about the Apple Vision Pro’s vision for the Disney digital neighborhood of tomorrow.
What in God’s Name Is That?
Image: Disney
Fair question!
Did you ever hear the term “iPod” before 2001 or “iPhone” before 2007?
You couldn’t have because they didn’t exist yet! Apple has built its fortune by creating cutting-edge products that redefined consumer behavior.
Image: Disney
Now, the company seeks to accomplish the same goal yet again, this time with an augmented reality headset.
You may be familiar with those devices, most famously the Meta Quest and HTC Vive lines.
Apple’s device won’t work quite the same as those headsets, as they’re primarily designed for gaming.
Photo: Apple
Apple’s target audience thus far is…unknown. As a couple of analysts have mentioned, the Vision Pro may work like the Apple Watch.
The company didn’t possess a strong vision for what that device would be. So, Apple released it in the marketplace.
Afterward, consumers and app developers defined the best parts of Apple Watch usage.
History will apparently repeat itself here, as the Apple Vision Pro will debut at an MSRP of $3,499.
Since we’re talking about Apple here, the buyers will pay that full $3,499.
You can think of this device as the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser of augmented reality (VR) headsets.
Photo: Apple
Very few people reading this will buy this headset, but you should pay attention to this development anyway.
I say this because Bob Iger, the CEO of The Walt Disney Company, made a surprising announcement regarding the Vision Pro.
Disney will support this device!
Err, Why Would Disney Join Apple?
Another fair question!
A lot of what we’re discussing borders on theoretical, even though Iger joined Tim Cook during the presentation.
Iger appeared during the introduction of the Vision Pro. You can watch his presentation here:
This seems like a good time to mention three things:
- While Bob Iger was away from Disney, he worked with VR developers on at least one project.
- One of Bob Chapek’s passion projects at Disney involved the Metaverse.
- Disney recently laid off its entire Metaverse division.
You can piece these tidbits together to understand what just happened.
Photo: LA Times
When Iger wasn’t at Disney, he spoke with many people in the augmented reality industry, which he calls Internet 3.0.
Iger once said the following:
Photo: Apple
“I think that Internet 3.0, which will definitely be a more compelling experience, certainly more immersive and dimensional…You may have an avatar, but you can go all over the place, and I think that it is likely to develop into something real as an experience.”
The Apple presentation aligns with much of what Iger predicted here.
I suspect Iger concluded that Disney had no need for internal development right now.
When the opportunity presented itself to license to Apple – at a high price, I’m sure – Iger leaped at the opportunity.
Photo: Apple
Apple needs characters from the Disney library to make its biggest ideas for this tech viable. And Disney can always use cash, especially right now.
Err, How Will Disney Work on the Vision Pro?
Image: Disney
Oh, this is where the whole conversation gets good!
Apple hasn’t presented the Vision Pro as a VR headset inasmuch as a new kind of phone/television/tablet/monitor.
I’m including several options there because users will ultimately decide how best to utilize the product.
Image: Disney
What we know is that you can Facetime your friends from inside your headset. Also, you can scroll through social media.
Apple included the tech to enable MacOS usage from within the device. But those aren’t the best parts of this tech.
Instead, the Vision Pro could work like a television on your face. Your “desktop” resides on the digital display part of the device.
That’s where Disney enters the conversation. The company owns some of the most popular characters and important brands.
Iger and Apple demonstrated the device by highlighting some of the Disney integration.
Image: Disney
This presentation started with how users can watch Disney+ from within the headset.
That ability may seem trivial until you watch the video linked above. You’ll realize you’re gaining a remarkable home theater experience this way.
Image: Disney
The video shows someone watching The Mandalorian while sitting on a planet from the Star Wars universe.
More importantly, the video highlighted the ability to watch live sporting events from inside the headset.
Theoretically, Apple could program this device so that everyone can have a courtside seat for a basketball game.
Image: Disney
If this option grew popular at a cost of, say, $10 per event, ESPN as a brand would spike in value.
Don’t underestimate the financial significance of this possibility!
Image: Disney
Here, watch the video from this point forward to understand how Disney AND its fans could benefit here:
At the 2:50 mark, you’ll notice some of the ideas I’d previously speculated would happen.
Yes, a theme park visit from your home is one of them!
What This Deal Could Mean for Disney
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Look, I fully expect the Vision Pro to fail, and I’m not the only one. Virtually all the early reviews dismissed the device due to the price.
That’s not the point here, though. Apple could have canceled this project at any time, and nobody would have blamed them.
After all, Google took this approach with Google Glass in 2015 (and at least two other times).
Image: Disney
Apple pushed forward because Cook and his team know that Internet 3.0 WILL happen.
So, this early release can work like a public beta. I fully expect Disney’s assets to prove among the most popular.
Image: Disney
Parents can theoretically build entire educational play areas for children in this space, and they’ll include Disney characters in it!
Meanwhile, movie and television lovers will deem the Vision Pro the ultimate in-home video/audio solutions.
Image: Disney
Finally, Disney theme park fans like you and I are salivating at the thought of an attraction experience in our own homes!
The fact that Disney hasn’t run away from this idea is telling. This IS the future of Disney entertainment!
Image: Disney
Should the Vision Pro find any kind of success over the next 18 months, it would also lend more credence to that Disney rumor that won’t die.
Apple may find the thought of a Disney acquisition too tantalizing to resist if ESPN, Marvel, Star Wars, and Mickey Mouse drive Vision Pro sales.
Image: Disney
To be clear, we’re probably several years away from this possibility – the Vision Pro won’t even be released until 2024 – but something to keep in mind.
Innovations like this make the pieces fit better for a Disney/Apple union.
Photo: MickeyBlog
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