VR Lens

VR Lens is back with a new weekly news brief. This week, I catch up on Steam Frame, Meta’s Project Phoenix, the latest in VR productivity and fitness, and what I’m watching as Meta Connect approaches. New episodes every Monday.

My first real exposure to spatial computing came from demoing the Apple Vision Pro.

That experience changed how I saw VR. Not because the tech was new, but because it finally clicked.

Afterward, I picked up a Meta Quest 3 and realized a lot of what Apple showed already existed. Virtual screens, immersive environments, and productivity setups had been building for years.

I just hadn’t been paying attention.

This episode looks at the history of virtual screens, Apple’s role in reframing the category, and whether entering a market can change how people understand it.

Music: "The System Has Failed" by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio.

VR has an adoption problem. People buy headsets, try a few apps, and then usage fades.

But fitness may be different.

In this episode, Craig explores why immersive workouts might be the first VR category that actually creates lasting habits. From the rise of Supernatural to the broader ecosystem of VR fitness apps, the discussion looks at why some people are now putting on their headsets several times a week to work out.

Craig also shares his own experience losing more than 35 pounds using VR fitness and why immersive workouts may be solving the hardest problem in VR: retention.

Music: "The System Has Failed" by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio.

Is VR actually failing, or are we just seeing the end of the hype cycle?

In the first episode of VR Lens, Craig Storm looks at the current state of virtual reality. Headlines about studio layoffs, slower enterprise adoption, and fading metaverse buzz have led many people to declare that VR is dead.

But the reality may be different.

Instead of collapsing, the VR industry may simply be resetting and moving toward a more stable and sustainable phase.

Music: “The System Has Failed” Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio.