The launch of Apple Inc's (NASDAQ:AAPL) Vision Pro headset has sparked interest in the virtual and augmented reality (AR/VR) space after a slowdown in funding leading up to the launch.
Investors remained wary about making bets in the AR/VR sector without clear signals from industry leaders.
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The Vision Pro headset is a potential game-changer for the AR/VR industry. Apple is positioning it as a "mixed reality" device likely to usher in a new spatial computing era. The company expects the Vision Pro to repeat the iPhone's revolutionizing of mobile computing, Financial Times reports.
In June, AR/VR and mixed reality start-ups in the U.S. raised $208 million in funding, marking a 12-month high., FT reports. Despite the price tag of $3,500 and a vague release date, investors are focusing on the market validation that Vision Pro provides.
Start-ups in various industries benefit from the renewed interest in AR/VR. For example, Augmedics, an Illinois-based start-up that builds tools to help surgeons navigate spinal instruments during operations, attracted an $83 million funding round in June.
Luminopia, a Massachusetts-based company, which creates therapeutic visual stimuli, had raised $16 million in late June.
Still, some analysts caution that the AR/VR industry should not solely rely on Apple's success.
The AR/VR industry has seen its share of challenges and failures, with other industry giants like Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Google dumping its smart glasses project.
Price Action: AAPL shares traded higher by 0.05% at $193.71 premarket on the last check Wednesday.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
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