Apple lays down the gauntlet to the metaverse

During his presentation on Monday, Apple boss Tim Cook introduced the Vision Pro, a sleek headset resembling ski goggles. — Photo by Josh Edelson/AFP

PARIS: Tech giant Apple has unveiled its first major product in more than seven years, a mixed-reality headset that might just deliver a terminal blow to the "metaverse".

Silicon Valley rival Meta was so confident of it could create the metaverse – an idea of a 3D immersive internet – that it changed its name from Facebook in 2021 and began funnelling billions into the project.