Hey everyone, it’s Cosmo.

Apple just dropped "Concert for One" featuring RAYE on Vision Pro, and it perfectly encapsulates both the promise and problems of immersive video. The premise? An intimate concert where RAYE performs just for you. And while I enjoyed the music, something about it feels off.

Apple Immersive Video has two primary focal lengths: wide for environmental presence and close-up for more intimate moments. But the close-ups here are jarring and break the immersion – imagine someone's head appearing twice its natural size. It feels like you’re invading their personal space.

What's more telling is the name itself: "Concert for One." Apple inadvertently draws attention to a core tension in Vision Pro experiences. Concerts aren't meant to be solitary – they're about shared energy, collective excitement, and yes, occasionally spilling beer on strangers. By making it a solo experience, we're trading human connection for a virtual shadow of the real thing.

Sure, you get uninterrupted eye contact with RAYE, something impossible at a real concert unless you're in the front row. But is that worth losing the electricity of a live crowd? The serendipity of meeting new people? The feeling of your friend elbowing you during the best parts?

Compared to The Weeknd's "Open Hearts" immersive video, which leaned into surreal special effects and cinematic flair, "Concert for One" feels a bit boring.

This isn't just about one concert video – it's about how we're reshaping social experiences for a spatial computing future. And right now, that future feels a bit lonely.

Magic Beans of the Week

Thank you for reading. Till next week! 😊

Best,
Cosmo