Is Apple Vision the Future?

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Today’s Highlights:

• Apple Releases Mixed Reality Headset Apple Vision Pro 🤯

• Africa Opens Up to Web3 Economy and DeFi-Based Finance 💸

• Tesla Model 3 Qualifies for Full $7,500 EV Tax Credit 🚗

Apple Releases Groundbreaking Mixed Reality Headset, Apple Vision Pro

After almost a decade, Apple has launched its first major hardware, an augmented reality headset it calls Apple Vision Pro. During its unveiling, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook said that the new headset “seamlessly blends the real world and the virtual world”, as if you’re looking at your phone, but it is big and bold right in front of you.

Priced at $3,499, this mixed reality headset may not appeal to mainstream consumers at first, especially with it being a first-generation device. Like every other Apple product, however, loyal Apple customers just might want to take part. During his sales pitch, Cook claims that users will be able to “see, hear and interact with digital content just like it’s in your physical space”, which would definitely appeal to some, considering how VR and wearable tech may just be the next big thing.

To make the Apple Vision Pro happen, Apple filed over 5,000 patents and worked with an enormous number of people as well as capital. Planned to be released early next year in the US, it is without a doubt that Apple will also be throwing a lot of accompanying content alongside this augmented reality hardware.

Features

The Apple Vision Pro is controlled using a combination of your hands, eyes, and voice, so you can simply tap your fingers to select and flick them to scroll. You can access your gallery and watch videos and scroll through pictures, and make them panoramic if you choose to.

This augmented reality headset also allows users to watch movies (in 3D, too!) and write documents. You can essentially use every app available in the App Store.

The headset has a two-hour battery life with 24 million pixels across the two panels. Apple has plans to offer varying sizes and shapes to fit different faces. Currently, they offer an automatic eye-relief calibration, which enables magnetic optical adjustments for people with differences in vision.

It is said by individuals who have demoed the headset that the Apple Vision Pro provides stunning visuals, reacting properly to lighting and shadows with great 4K resolution that allows texts to be readable at all sizes and distances. The spatial audio is also claimed to create a great ambience for users.

Like every other Apple product, the Apple Vision Pro is also said to be pretty straightforward and simple to set up.

Conclusion

Apple Vision Pro seems to be a high-quality headset, claimed to provide users with immaculate mixed-reality visuals. A few people have had the chance to demo the Apple Vision Pro, but it can only be purchased by the public starting early next year. Whether its quality is as pristine as claimed, we’ll know soon.

If not for it being extra costly, Apple Vision Pro sounds slightly too good to be true.

This release may create possibilities for entrepreneurs who are in the business of creating VR accessories or services that accompany it.

You can check out Apple Vision Pro’s full features here!

Africa Open to Web3 Economy and DeFi Financial Inclusion

Blockchain technology has played a sizeable part in creating transparency and giving people control over their finances. It is used all over the world and has now become quite a significant thing in Africa. More traction in the Web3 economy has been gained, and Africans interested in cryptocurrency are getting more open to decentralized finance.

Web3’s Impact

A Web3-friendly service provided in Africa, Fonbnk, allows Africans to exchange airtime credits* for cryptocurrency assets. Fonbnk has partnered with Tanda, a merchant network platform in East Africa, to enable more accessible airtime trading for Tanda agents. This partnership warrants the buying and selling of prepaid airtime for profit, creating revenue for agents and allowing them to store their profits in dollarized stablecoins*.

*Airtime credit: A recharge card or top-up card bought by a mobile phone user to aid one’s phone recharging process.

*Stablecoins: A cryptocurrency that has a value that is pegged or tied to that of another currency, commodity, or financial instrument.

So far, Fonbnk is only accessible in East Africa but has plans to bring decentralized finance-based financial inclusion all across Africa. With this, African micro-entrepreneurs have bigger opportunities to participate in the Web3 economy. Web3 and DeFi open up Africans to purchases between borders, allowing them to generate more economic value in the wider market efficiently, with improved liquidity.

Tesla’s Model 3 Vehicles Qualify for $7,500 Tax Credit

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act just last August, new electronic vehicles went through a complex set of requirements to determine whether they qualify for a full $7,500 tax credit. With goals to end the US’s reliance on China for car batteries, EVs and clean vehicles are required to utilize battery components produced or assembled in North America in order for them to qualify for tax credits.

As a result of this policy, last April, the U.S. Treasury Department enforced the material sourcing requirements, and plenty of vehicle models lost the full tax credits they were previously eligible for. The majority of Tesla’s Model 3 managed to have only half their full credit slashed, but many EVs produced by BMW, Rivian, Volvo, and Hyundai, lost their full credits.

Full Tax Credit for Tesla

Tesla had suddenly qualified for their full $7,500 federal EV tax credit, however, as seen from the updated information made by the U.S. government and on Tesla’s website. The changes made by Tesla weren’t specified, but CEO Elon Musk retweeted a tweet made by @SawyerMerritt, showing a screenshot displaying tax credits for every Tesla Model 3 vehicle.

Before this change, only Tesla’s Model 3 Performance qualified for the full $7,500 credit, and as seen from the screenshot, the full tax credit has now been given to the Model 3 long-range all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive as well.

The mandated requirement change found in Congress’ policy brings a great opportunity for entrepreneurs in America in the line of business of vehicle battery manufacturing, as EV and clean vehicle designers and manufacturers will most definitely go through changes in their process of production, searching for local battery manufacturers.

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