Apple CEO Tim Cook Doesn't Like the Metaverse. Here's the New Technology He Thinks We Won't Be Able to Live Without. Cook says this other technology "will affect everything."

By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas

Kevin Mazur | Getty Images

Many companies, including Meta, formerly known as Facebook, are making major bets on the metaverse.

But Apple CEO Tim Cook isn't as quick to embrace the virtual world, CNBC reported, instead believing that augmented reality (AR) is where the future really lies.

Related: Metaverse: A Game-changing Innovation for Entrepreneurs

"I always think it's important that people understand what something is," the Apple CEO told Dutch publication Bright on Friday. "And I'm really not sure the average person can tell you what the metaverse is."

The average person might not be able to tell you what the metaverse is, but that hasn't stopped Meta co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg from pouring at least $10 billion into his virtual-reality vision in 2021 alone, per The Verge.

Generally, the "metaverse" refers to virtual reality (VR) platforms where people can "interact, work, shop and play games using immersive technology like a virtual-reality headset," according to CNBC.

Although these worlds already exist to some extent, many major tech players want to develop the hardware and software that allow people to spend more time and money in the metaverse.

But some, including Cook, believe that augmented reality (AR) shows more promise than the metaverse. AR involves superimposing virtual elements and images onto the real world.

Cook went so far as to tell Bright that AR "will go much, much further" than its uses today, and Apple is reportedly developing an AR/VR headset that could launch in 2023, per Bloomberg.

Related: Here's Why AR and VR Strategy Is a Must for Your Venture

"I think AR is a profound technology that will affect everything," Cook says. "Imagine suddenly being able to teach with AR and demonstrate things that way. Or medically, and so on. Like I said, we are really going to look back and think about how we once lived without AR."

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

Elon Musk Gives One-Sentence Response to Linda Yaccarino Stepping Down as CEO of X

Linda Yaccarino announced on Tuesday that she was leaving her role as X's chief executive.

Business News

Here's the Exact Amount of Money You Need to Be Wealthy, According to a Charles Schwab Survey

Financial service giant Charles Schwab's annual Modern Wealth Survey reveals some eye-popping numbers.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Growing a Business

He Went From Customer to CEO of a Rapidly-Expanding Dessert Chain By Following This Process

Neil Hershman built his expansion playbook by perfecting a single store, then replicating what worked across the franchise system without sacrificing customer experience.

Business News

Meta Invests Billions in World's Largest Eyewear Company After Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Success

The deal arrives one month after Meta debuted new Oakley Meta AI smart glasses in partnership with the eyewear company.