Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is the Magnificent Seven tech titan that few firms want to go toe to toe against, especially as it looks to jolt its faster-growing services business. With the recent launch of Apple Vision Pro (its headset or spatial computer), many Americans have had the opportunity to give the impressive US$3,500 tech a test at the local Apple Store. Here in Canada, there’s no Vision Pro in sight (no pun intended).
For now, Canadians must be patient, as Apple looks to eventually roll out its impressive product to new countries.
Perhaps the next iteration of Apple Vision will be coming to Canada. In any case, it’s tough to watch our American friends get a taste of the future while we can only imagine what it’s like to test out Apple’s immersive new worlds. Though Apple may have marketed the high-end device for work (and perhaps less for play, unless you’re a huge fan of the game Fruit Ninja), I believe that the movie-viewing experience may be changed forever.
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Vision Pro: Should cinema stock investors start worrying?
Many folks have remarked on just how sharp the virtual screens are through the Vision Pro headset. And with the ability to stretch our augmented screens to be the size of those at the local Cineplex (TSX:CGX), questions linger as to whether devices like Vision Pro could pose a massive threat to the movie theatre business as we know it.
Indeed, why go out to the movies when you could enjoy content on an even larger screen from the comfort of your own home?
That’s quite a jarring thought, but it’s a new possibility in the era of the metaverse and Apple’s first-ever spatial computing product.
Only time will tell if Apple Vision Pro products eat into the share of cinema darlings. The pandemic represented a massive risk, but Cineplex and many of its peers in the industry are still standing. Further, Barbenheimer weekend (the weekend that saw hit films Barbie and Oppenheimer take off) shows us that the movie-going experience is nowhere close to being dead.
In the meantime, there just are not as many Vision Pro users out there to pose a serious threat to the movie theatre giants. However, in 10-15 years, I suppose anything is possible as the technology gets better, lighter, and perhaps cheaper. In the meantime, I believe Cineplex shareholders need not worry about the Vision Pro or the rise of any other virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) headsets.
The Foolish bottom line
At the end of the day, going out to the movies is a social experience and one that can co-exist with the rise of headsets. Cineplex stock trades at just $8 and change per share, making it a rather uneventful play, having flatlined in the past year or so. In any case, I see some value to be had in the name as it looks to bounce back after many years’ worth of turbulence. Vision Pro or not, don’t expect Cineplex to close up shop anytime soon.
