Tech firms hope sweaty workouts can sell women on VR headsets
... To brand the devices for a broader audience, companies are partnering with corporations outside gaming and buying their own non-gaming app makers, creating a path for developers to make new programs. When Apple announced in June its plans to start selling its new mixed-reality headset Vision Pro for nearly $3,500, the company barely mentioned gaming. ...
The industry’s top evangelists say VR-powered fitness apps have the power to lure people who may be intimidated or unable to attend traditional workout classes in person. The apps often get experts to design intensive exercise routines that would be taught in a gym, set in extravagant environments. ...
“Sometimes you don’t notice you’re working out,” Wilson said of the experience. After her mother, sister and friends saw that she lost 30 pounds while exercising in the app, they purchased headsets and began experimenting. ...
Meta, the dominant maker of VR headsets, has also eyed fitness as a key strategy. In 2021 Meta announced it was buying Within, the studio behind popular VR fitness app Supernatural. The app pairs daily exercise routines with popular songs from stars like Bob Marley and Dua Lipa. ...
See the full story here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/09/virtual-reality-headset-fitness/
