As an aside, the video gave me reasons why I'll never put on (any) VR headset in a public place like a coffeeshop or a park. It looks like I imagine it would feel: very awkward to be that person with a VR headset in the middle of a park.
While this technology theoretically gives you "infinite" workspace(s), you are still limited by human physiology. Do I really want to have a virtual window that requires me to look upward and to the left? How long am I going to want to hold my head in that direction to do anything practical? So this creates a natural limitation of where I can look directly forward in a natural head-holding position, glancing slightly left or right. Which brings us right back to where we are today, dual side-by-side monitors. A human can only look in one direction at once anyway, so there are few advantages to having random windows floating around above or below us. A user could be better serviced by learning shortcuts to quickly switch windows (ie. alt-tab) on their desktop while continuing to look forward in a natural position.
I am all for change and progression, but this doesn't seem like we really gain anything. I don't want to be in a virtual "work" reality, that sounds horrible. I want to look at my monitors to work, then have other things around me. Maybe look out the window or pick up my guitar and play for 5 minutes between meetings. I don't want to see the barista virtually surrounded by my virtual monitors, I just want to see this human in real life. If my partner comes into my home office while I work I want to be able to look at them and have them see my eyes in return. When I am on a zoom call I want people to see a real human, not a virtual avatar.
I just struggle to see any advantages from a virtualized work world. Someone feel free to tell me what I am missing out on here. But as far as I see it, I would still need to work from a desk at home. I am still staring at windows containing spreadsheets/code/documents/files, they are just floating around in virtual space instead of displayed on monitors. I don't understand the point of going to a park when you are wearing a virtual headset. The reason people go to a park or a coffee shop to work is for a change in scenery. But if you are still in your virtual world, then why go to a park?
You could now take your workplace with you wherever you go. In the train, to the office, any room of your house. Always having a beautiful cleaned up working space with a lot of workspace.
I think the face/eye tracking camera's will help with realistic meetings. Furthermore with augmented reality you could grab a coffee or play some guitar without taking your headset off. Obviously when going to the park you would take the headset off. You probably would have to do so anyways as 8 hours of VR is though.
The capitalists dream - the workers nightmare.
But it's definitely more advantageous if you have cash to spare, and freedom in your work.
- you can use it in any luminosity. No reflection if you code, no big light to wake up people sleeping if you watch a movie.
- you can code in any posture, including on your back.
- you can go in nature and code, read, get into a meeting. I really want that. I miss the sun on my skin at the office.
- you can go in full immersion, with no visual distraction what so ever.
- you can have your big screen when traveling. Want to work near the beach in the south of France ? Sure your can, why wait for the holidays ? You can be productive in the hotel room with your full setup, and then enjoy a dip in the water then a lunch at the local cafe.
I wouldn't make it my only setup. It kills social interaction. I like my pen and paper. But the options are nice, if you can afford it.
It's definitely something to improve some aspects of work, not a shift. And you will enjoy it more if you are already fortunate to have money, and freedom in your work.
But there is a place for it.
You may be overestimating the state of vr lenses.
I'd rather have an long battery life arm pc with an e-ink screen.
But I could totally see myself going into the forest or the mountain in a remote area, and enjoy working remotely in nature. As long as I know there will be no humans around.
First, as you said, it's very awkward. It can already create social tensions to have hearphones on in public, so a whole mask...
But it's also dangerous. People are idiots, sometimes means, sometimes just clumsy. And I am an idiot. With my eyes free, I manage to do plenty of damage, breaking glasses, hitting people by mistake, pouring liquids in the wrong places. I know with a certainty I would cause trouble with a helmet on.
I routinely see people wearing not too dissimilar headsets as vision aids for severe myopia and macular degeneration.