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The technology is cool, but the problem is Meta is working backwards from “create a platform where we have total control so a company like Apple can’t bully us”

The technology is cool, but the problem is Meta is working backwards from “create a platform where we have total control so a company like Apple can’t bully us” and not “create a product that people want to use”. Plus, Zuck himself being involved in the marketing is basically instantly making their VR products seem uncool and untrustworthy. You can see this bleed through into all of their demos and apps. They are focused on social because it has a larger TAM and enterprise customers. They’re demoing digital cosmetics because they want to create a marketplace for them and skim a huge amount off the top. They’re not focused on creating something that is better than the alternatives or that people want to use. VR/AR are for sure the future. I can’t think of a company I’d less rather be the main player than Meta (I guess Oracle, but I mean companies which realistically could make an AR/VR product). And I think that sentiment is common enough among early adopters and developers that Meta will really struggle to hit the hockey stick growth they need.

csallen 4y ago
It seems like they're putting a tremendous amount of work into Horizon Workrooms, at least, and trying to nail the experience to make it great. And they're seeing what other kinds of apps people like, and supporting them in big ways. For example, exercise apps like Supernatural were kind of an unexpected hit. I don't think there's really an either-or situation here, where they have to choose between defending their company strategically vs making experiences that people want to use. To succeed, they have to do both, and it seems like they are.
- opportune 4y ago
  Depends on your definition of success. Their burn rate is tremendous to match. FB engineers are not cheap. Sure, they have apps, but no killer app that will make non-nerds want to use their product yet. Workrooms IMO is a solution in search of a problem. Would anybody really rather use that than a regular video chat?
  - hrbf 4y ago
    > a solution in search of a problem Exactly like cryptocurrencies. Technically impressive but entirely useless, even dangerous.

csallen 4y ago

It seems like they're putting a tremendous amount of work into Horizon Workrooms, at least, and trying to nail the experience to make it great. And they're seeing what other kinds of apps people like, and supporting them in big ways. For example, exercise apps like Supernatural were kind of an unexpected hit. I don't think there's really an either-or situation here, where they have to choose between defending their company strategically vs making experiences that people want to use. To succeed, they have to do both, and it seems like they are.

opportune 4y ago
Depends on your definition of success. Their burn rate is tremendous to match. FB engineers are not cheap. Sure, they have apps, but no killer app that will make non-nerds want to use their product yet. Workrooms IMO is a solution in search of a problem. Would anybody really rather use that than a regular video chat?
- hrbf 4y ago
  > a solution in search of a problem Exactly like cryptocurrencies. Technically impressive but entirely useless, even dangerous.