When it comes to fitness, people are always looking for the next big thing to motivate them and keep them engaged. Virtual Reality (VR) may be the answer to this, but with the new release of Apple’s mixed reality glasses, the future of XR fitness seems even brighter. The Apple Vision Pro has the potential to revolutionize the way people experience fitness through its unique features. This blog will focus on how the Apple Vision Pro could impact Mixed Reality Fitness and change the way people approach their workouts.
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Shift from VR fitness to Mixed Reality Fitness
While VR has been a popular choice for gamers, Virtual Reality will soon be surpassed by a new form of reality, Mixed Reality. Unlike Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality integrates digital content into the real world. This is where the Apple Vision Pro comes in; it constantly blends the digital with your physical space. Imagine having a virtual personal fitness trainer next to you, every step of the way, guiding you through your workout.
We are already starting to see mixed reality fitness content be produced for the the Pico 4 and Quest headsets. X-Fighter is a prime example of this and would look fantastic on the Vision Pro.
No controllers
The tracking system of the Apple Vision Pro consists of LEDs and infrared cameras that project invisible light patterns onto the user’s eyes. This provides precise information about eye movement, eliminating the need for a controller. The device is also controlled by voice, and hand gestures. This feature makes perfect sense for office use of the glasses.
However, it’s also ideal for fitness enthusiasts who want to easily integrate additional equipment such as weight lifting or push-ups into their workout regimes. As the lack of resistance training available to VR fitness users is often criticized. This could also make activities like XR yoga and stretching more enjoyable.
Advanced Dual-Chip Processor
The Apple Vision Pro boasts not one, but two processors, to allow for complex 3D experiences. The Apple M2 chip is the most powerful chip currently used in VR glasses and provides advanced graphics, runs the VisionOS system, and visual algorithms. This provides a smooth and streamlined workout experience, making the transition to Mixed Reality Fitness a seamless one.
Playing nice with Apple Watch or Apple Health
We saw the keynote how it could seamlessly connect with your MacBook, but what about other devices?
Imagine combining its capabilities with the powerful Apple Watch and Apple Health for a truly integrated user experience. The Apple Watch already has incredible fitness and health tracking capabilities, making it the perfect companion for the Vision Pro. And syncing training data from the VR/AR headset with Apple Health would be a breeze. It’s already possible with the Meta Quest 2 and Oculus Move, so imagine the possibilities with Apple Vision.
With such a wide audience for fitness apps on the Meta Quest 2, it’s clear that this integration would be a hit. Plus, I can vouch for the effectiveness of VR workouts from my own self-experiment.
FitXR to focus on mixed reality
FitXR, the virtual reality fitness app, is set to take on mixed reality in a big way. On a recent VRFI Podcast Sam Cole, the CEO of FitXR, there is plenty to be excited about in the upcoming features that FitXR will offer.
image: Taken from VRFI’s Youtube channel
Although it’s unclear whether Cole was referring to the recent release of the Meta Quest 3 headset or the anticipated Vision Pro support, what is certain is that FitXR is fully committed to taking its users on an immersive fitness journey that blends the best of both virtual and mixed-world experiences. Fitness enthusiasts everywhere should definitely keep their eyes peeled for the next big thing coming from FitXR.
TLDR
The future of fitness looks bright with the Apple Vision Pro. Its unique features such as Mixed Reality Fitness, no controllers, advanced dual-chip processor and precise eye tracking make it an ideal platform for fitness enthusiasts. We’re quite surprised this wasn’t mentioned during the keynote but will be following this space closely. It is certain that the Vision pro has the potential to take the VR fitness world by storm. Later versions will likely lead to price reductions and could make it’s way to the main stream, like the Apple Watch.