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> Meta decided to build cheaper gadgets that people want to use now. Let's not deceive ourselves. We all know that Meta is capable of neither designing nor man

> Meta decided to build cheaper gadgets that people want to use now. Let's not deceive ourselves. We all know that Meta is capable of neither designing nor manufacturing Apple Vision Pro. That's not a bad thing. Every company plays its own strengths. There's no point pretending that it was a deliberate decision.

_gabe_ 3y ago
> We all know that Meta is capable of neither designing nor manufacturing Apple Vision Pro According to what? What limitation is there that stops Meta engineers from being able to do this?
- zerohp 3y ago
  John Carmack had some things to say about it: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2022/12/17/john-carmack-quits-meta-has-traditionally-harsh-words-on-the-way-out/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2022/12/17/john-carma... EDIT: direct link https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0iPixEvPJQGzNa6t2x6HUL5TYqfmKGqSgfkBg6QaTyHF5frXQi7eLGxC7uPQv5U5jl&id=100006735798590 https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0iPix...
  - sgift 3y ago
    Having read it at the time and now again I'd be surprised if Apple would do any better in his performance metrics. Big companies are, almost by definition, slow. The breakneck speed he wants to see will never happen in a company with thousands of people, thousands of opinions and many layers of management. So, while that is a sad reminder that things could be far better in theory, I don't see how it supports that Meta couldn't produce a Vision Pro if they wanted to.
- thisarticle 3y ago
  Silicon for one. The M2 is miles ahead in terms of performance (and heat) than anything Qualcomm has to offer.
  - partiallypro 3y ago
    This won't always be the case; people act like this is set in stone for decades to come. It might not even be true in 3-4 years.
    - woodada 3y ago
      It's unfortunately far, far more true than whatever lead Meta still has over Apple on the VR headset side. Also it's not just the chip itself, but moreso the whole hardware-sofrware vertical integration. Despite being a decade-long Apple-hater, ever since I got an M2 max macbook from work I simply have never touched my Windows/Linux Thinkpads again. The difference in user experience isn't even on a generational level, but more of a I-can't-imagine-how-Apple's-competitors-can-begin-to-close-this-gap level. Sadly I think all this talk of Quest-vs-AVP war is just an illusion, the outcome is very much preordained at this point.
  - kjkjadksj 3y ago
    Its tsmcs chip not apples though, anyone can up and order something of those sort of specs from them and meta has plenty of money to wave around at a crowded bar for attention.
    - doctoboggan 3y ago
      TSMC is a fab, not a chip designer. Apple designed their own chips with in-house engineering talent. Due to how the silicon supply chain works no-one but TSMC can make those chips so everyone needs to use them. Also Meta can't just waive around money and get the most advanced chips; apple has bought out all the production for some time.
      - kjkjadksj 3y ago
        Amd waived around enough money to get a big order of 3nm too and they aren’t even big scary nvidia but the underdogs in this space.
    - hbn 3y ago
deadbabe 3y ago
And Apple Vision Pro engineers are incapable of designing a product with a $500 price limit.
- pb7 3y ago
  What's special about $500?
  - Our_Benefactors 3y ago
    That it’s the price of a games console.
    - pb7 3y ago
      Why is a general purpose computer pegged to the price of a video game console most commonly sold at a loss?
      - kjkjadksj 3y ago
        Because the general population of americans probably also doesn’t pay more than that for a computer
        true_religion 3y ago
        Then they’ll get it second hand like many people get iPhones. You can even be 2 or 3 generations behind so long as the tech was the best at its time, it’ll endure.
        threeseed 3y ago
        Since when does Apple predominately sell to the general population. They have always preferred premium users and their success to date suggests this is a good strategy.
        deadbabe 3y ago

_gabe_ 3y ago

> We all know that Meta is capable of neither designing nor manufacturing Apple Vision Pro According to what? What limitation is there that stops Meta engineers from being able to do this?

zerohp 3y ago
John Carmack had some things to say about it: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2022/12/17/john-carmack-quits-meta-has-traditionally-harsh-words-on-the-way-out/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2022/12/17/john-carma... EDIT: direct link https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0iPixEvPJQGzNa6t2x6HUL5TYqfmKGqSgfkBg6QaTyHF5frXQi7eLGxC7uPQv5U5jl&id=100006735798590 https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0iPix...
- sgift 3y ago
  Having read it at the time and now again I'd be surprised if Apple would do any better in his performance metrics. Big companies are, almost by definition, slow. The breakneck speed he wants to see will never happen in a company with thousands of people, thousands of opinions and many layers of management. So, while that is a sad reminder that things could be far better in theory, I don't see how it supports that Meta couldn't produce a Vision Pro if they wanted to.
thisarticle 3y ago
Silicon for one. The M2 is miles ahead in terms of performance (and heat) than anything Qualcomm has to offer.
- partiallypro 3y ago
  This won't always be the case; people act like this is set in stone for decades to come. It might not even be true in 3-4 years.
  - woodada 3y ago
    It's unfortunately far, far more true than whatever lead Meta still has over Apple on the VR headset side. Also it's not just the chip itself, but moreso the whole hardware-sofrware vertical integration. Despite being a decade-long Apple-hater, ever since I got an M2 max macbook from work I simply have never touched my Windows/Linux Thinkpads again. The difference in user experience isn't even on a generational level, but more of a I-can't-imagine-how-Apple's-competitors-can-begin-to-close-this-gap level. Sadly I think all this talk of Quest-vs-AVP war is just an illusion, the outcome is very much preordained at this point.
- kjkjadksj 3y ago
  Its tsmcs chip not apples though, anyone can up and order something of those sort of specs from them and meta has plenty of money to wave around at a crowded bar for attention.
  - doctoboggan 3y ago
    TSMC is a fab, not a chip designer. Apple designed their own chips with in-house engineering talent. Due to how the silicon supply chain works no-one but TSMC can make those chips so everyone needs to use them. Also Meta can't just waive around money and get the most advanced chips; apple has bought out all the production for some time.
    - kjkjadksj 3y ago
      Amd waived around enough money to get a big order of 3nm too and they aren’t even big scary nvidia but the underdogs in this space.
  - hbn 3y ago

deadbabe 3y ago

And Apple Vision Pro engineers are incapable of designing a product with a $500 price limit.

pb7 3y ago
What's special about $500?
- Our_Benefactors 3y ago
  That it’s the price of a games console.
  - pb7 3y ago
    Why is a general purpose computer pegged to the price of a video game console most commonly sold at a loss?
    - kjkjadksj 3y ago
      Because the general population of americans probably also doesn’t pay more than that for a computer
      - true_religion 3y ago
        Then they’ll get it second hand like many people get iPhones. You can even be 2 or 3 generations behind so long as the tech was the best at its time, it’ll endure.
      - threeseed 3y ago
        Since when does Apple predominately sell to the general population. They have always preferred premium users and their success to date suggests this is a good strategy.
        deadbabe 3y ago