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This just looks entirely pointless and the product of a marketing team with too many staff.

by cjk2 2y ago

wongarsu 2y ago
For Meta this is great because it exposes lots of people to their product. And since it's business class many of those people are either influential or at least open to buying a $250-$500 headset to show the same experience to their kids at home. For the customer it's interesting because flights are often somewhat boring, so having the option for a whimsical distraction is nice. When the novelty wears off after 30 minutes it's still a good alternative way to watch movies. For Lufthansa it's a great differentiator. Some people might choose Lufthansa over an alternative for their next business trip just to try this out in what's already company paid "lost time". It might die out in a couple years because it doesn't do much that a screen can't (apart from the privacy aspect of other people not seeing your screen). But that doesn't mean it can't be a positive in the short term.
- rchaud 2y ago
  You could say any of this about the Rayban Meta glasses they are advertising heavily on TikTok. It is a very optimistic take on things that's unlikely to work out.
- freehorse 2y ago
  This is for showcasing/simulating a fly environment, not for using during an actual flight. Nobody would risk such a thing during an actual flight, not now and not for the foreseeable future, for obvious reasons (safety, motion-sickness etc). It is a product for the sake of being a product. Literally a "meta-product". There is no real practical use out of commercial exhibitions. Nobody is gonna use this thing to decide which class to book or anything, and using such a thing for real training is laughable unless this is where we are with cost-cutting. It is an absurdity born out of marketing boredom and a desperate need (from meta's part) for making some product with VR headsets. Only thing I am surprised is that AI is not mentioned. Such "products" are usually "AI-powered".
  - sebzim4500 2y ago
    >Nobody would risk such a thing during an actual flight, not now and not for the foreseeable future, for obvious reasons (safety, motion-sickness etc). I can't think of any obvious reasons. People are allowed to take their own headset onto the flight, why wouldn't the airline lend a quest 3 to people in business/first class?
    - freehorse 2y ago
      I don't think that in the current state airlines could take a risk to provide vr headsets. A lot of things can happen in an airplane, most obviously turbulence, and lack of good orientation and space perception during a flight for something an airline provides and advertises can lead to accidents that can bring bad PR. Moreover, most people are not used to headsets, especially for an extended period of time, and I do not think airlines want to deal with the practicalities or bad PR that vomiting passengers bring either. Flights are complex and cumbersome enough to add hassles like that. People bringing their own helmets is another story, as that does not reflect on the company's image. Maybe if these things are more normalised they could be tried eg by passengers that are scared of flying.

This just looks entirely pointless and the product of a marketing team with too many staff.

by cjk2 2y ago

This just looks entirely pointless and the product of a marketing team with too many staff.

For Meta this is great because it exposes lots of people to their product. And since it's business class many of those people are either influential or at least open to buying a $250-$500 headset to show the same experience to their kids at home. For the customer it's interesting because flights are often somewhat boring, so having the option for a whimsical distraction is nice. When the novelty wears off after 30 minutes it's still a good alternative way to watch movies. For Lufthansa it's a great differentiator. Some people might choose Lufthansa over an alternative for their next business trip just to try this out in what's already company paid "lost time". It might die out in a couple years because it doesn't do much that a screen can't (apart from the privacy aspect of other people not seeing your screen). But that doesn't mean it can't be a positive in the short term.

rchaud 2y ago
You could say any of this about the Rayban Meta glasses they are advertising heavily on TikTok. It is a very optimistic take on things that's unlikely to work out.
freehorse 2y ago
This is for showcasing/simulating a fly environment, not for using during an actual flight. Nobody would risk such a thing during an actual flight, not now and not for the foreseeable future, for obvious reasons (safety, motion-sickness etc). It is a product for the sake of being a product. Literally a "meta-product". There is no real practical use out of commercial exhibitions. Nobody is gonna use this thing to decide which class to book or anything, and using such a thing for real training is laughable unless this is where we are with cost-cutting. It is an absurdity born out of marketing boredom and a desperate need (from meta's part) for making some product with VR headsets. Only thing I am surprised is that AI is not mentioned. Such "products" are usually "AI-powered".
- sebzim4500 2y ago
  >Nobody would risk such a thing during an actual flight, not now and not for the foreseeable future, for obvious reasons (safety, motion-sickness etc). I can't think of any obvious reasons. People are allowed to take their own headset onto the flight, why wouldn't the airline lend a quest 3 to people in business/first class?
  - freehorse 2y ago
    I don't think that in the current state airlines could take a risk to provide vr headsets. A lot of things can happen in an airplane, most obviously turbulence, and lack of good orientation and space perception during a flight for something an airline provides and advertises can lead to accidents that can bring bad PR. Moreover, most people are not used to headsets, especially for an extended period of time, and I do not think airlines want to deal with the practicalities or bad PR that vomiting passengers bring either. Flights are complex and cumbersome enough to add hassles like that. People bringing their own helmets is another story, as that does not reflect on the company's image. Maybe if these things are more normalised they could be tried eg by passengers that are scared of flying.