This is what photos and videos wish they could be.
Read Time: 4 Minutes
I just watched a demo of the new Talking Heads app, and honestly, it gave me chills. Seeing that kind of tech in action feels like peeking into the future. I had the exact same idea not long ago and even emailed someone about it, so either they read my mind or we’re all starting to dream the same dreams. Either way, it’s wild to see it come to life. I can’t afford the Vision Pro right now (who can?), but you better believe I’m grabbing the next one when it drops.
Anyway, watching that video sparked another idea that might be even more exciting: What if we could record memories the way we wish photos and videos worked? I’m talking full 360-degree 3D scans of real-life moments, like taking a panoramic photo, but way smarter. You move your phone around like you’re capturing a memory bubble. Then AI kicks in and rebuilds the whole scene in VR. Add spatial audio, and boom, you’re standing right back in the moment. Not just seeing it. Feeling it.
Let’s be real: photos and videos do an okay job of preserving memories, but they always feel a little… flat. You can’t hear the laughter from behind the camera, or feel the way the sunlight hit the floor, or turn around and see who else was in the room. VR could change that. It’s like the natural evolution of how we capture life, moving from snapshots to full-blown time travel.
And this wouldn’t just be for tech nerds or creatives. Everyone could use it. Imagine your grandparents capturing a Sunday lunch with the family, and years later, you can step back into that dining room, hear the clinking plates, feel the warmth of that moment. Or wedding photographers offering VR memories, relive your vows, not just rewatch them. It’s personal, emotional, and kinda revolutionary.
Sure, the first version of this tech wouldn’t be perfect. But Face ID already taught us how easy it is to move your phone around in a guided way. Combine that with object scanning tech and we’re halfway there. If we can capture people and places in motion, with sound, it instantly becomes way more immersive. You’re not just seeing your memory, you’re in it.
And yeah, some people will want to stylize those memories, make them dreamy, surreal, or magical. That’s cool. But for me? I’d want it real. I want to step back into exactly how it was. That’s the power of it. If a moment meant something to you, you want it as close to the original as possible. No filters. Just truth.
But here’s where it gets really interesting: This tech wouldn’t stop at memory preservation. It could change the way we share content online. Imagine jumping into a creator’s world, walking around inside a story instead of watching it on a screen. Or being part of a short film. Or watching a concert from the stage. News could be experienced, not just read. You could feel what it’s like to live through a natural disaster, or sit front row at the Oscars. That kind of immersion could spark real empathy, and real connection.
The future of content isn’t just to be seen. It’s to be felt.
Photos freeze time. Videos replay it. But VR lets you return to it.
We’re not there yet. But we’re close. And once we get a taste, there’s no going back.
