Did VCR or DVD or Blu-Ray have killer apps?
Time-shifting was a "killer" application of VCRs. That radically changed how many people consumed television. It dramatically altered television programming and advertising. Anyone who watched television programming even in moderation in the pre- and post-VCR eras ought to know that; anyone who didn't (and hasn't studied the history) probably shouldn't be commenting on it.
The "killer" application of DVDs was the shift of commercial film releases from VCR tapes to DVDs, which drove DVD-player sales - though those already had a toehold due to video-game consoles.
There has yet to be a killer application of Blu-Ray, which is just more DVD. It's popular with consumers who want that, and ignored by those who don't.
Frankly, I don't see a killer application for VR/AR, except in some specific industrial domains. I first saw a working VR implementation at SIGGRAPH 1989. I thought it was a gimmick then, and none of the subsequent demos, applications, or speculative pieces I've seen have changed my mind. Even if Magic Leap produces a product that does everything they claim, it won't change how I use computers.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
