Video conferencing is probably the #1 time I just don't have nearly enough screen space. I'm always switching back and forth between dev tools, chat, whatever's being presented, other video chat participants. Would be great to be able to fit all that in front of me where I can switch with a glance.
For some reason I assumed you meant traditional non-realistic avatars - but yes - I concur those are avatars.
However the only reason these are needed is because you're wearing something that obscures your face. With your iPad scenario, you could use the camera view of your actual face.
Indeed, so you have a worse experience, I still think that they could have the avatars for other devices so that folks can use them if they have their camera off it would be nice.
Whereas with an iPad I can use it as a second display with my Mac anyway and put the chat on it. It might be better, but it doesn't sound to me to be quite the slam dunk that it sounds like to you.
I am happy to be proved wrong though so I'll be waiting for reviews of how it actually works with groups
With digital avatars you can fix the gaze offset issues.
It's oddly draining doing zoom or meets where you can't make mutual eye contact. If you look at the camera you cant see their eyes, and vice versa.
If the digital avatar is as good as it looks, it could resolve that and make teleconferencing less exhausting. Not to mention worry less if you're having a bad hair day. ;)
I guess my point was that digital avatars are being bundled with AR/VR but they dont have a lot to do with it.
What you are describing happens today without VR, so having these avatars from or to my iPad would be a benefit.
I don't see what the headset brings to the table other than forcing people to fix existing issues.
The experience is worse because the VR now introduces avatars so I can pretend to pay attention whilst doing coding, whereas if it was on my iPad I could do coding, unload the washing machine, etc. It is restrictive.
Also fixing the eye focus is already a thing for streamers and ML video correction.
Why don't they just have an iPad and digital avatars? Then you don't need to strap goggles to your head for an identical experience.